Two Brides in Arendelle
by TeodorKINS
Summary: A combination of frozen and a modified version of the European realpolitiks of the nineteenth century. It is my first long story so any comment, positive or negative, will be welcomed. Disclaimer: Frozen characters and associated franchises are owned by Disney. No challenge to their legal status is intended. Cover by kind permission of David Lojaya.
1. Introduction

Anna was on her way to the library. She had just arrived from a visit to a neighboring kingdom and, after twenty days traveling, was eager to see Elsa.

Three years without an active diplomacy after the death of her parents had left Arendelle a little bit isolated, but Anna, with Kristoff always at her side, was working hard to change it. Their last visit had evolved from a formal courtesy in order to reinforce the bonds between both kingdoms into an attempt to involve Arendelle in a dispute with a third country. Anna had changed the situation, offering Arendelle's intermediation and proposing a conference to be held in Arendelle. If they found out a solution the reputation of Arendelle would be reinforced.

She reached the library and knocked softly. After a while Elsa's voice sounded from behind the door giving permission to enter. Elsa was sitting at her desk reading a letter. The worktable was full of papers. The kingdom had a lot of pending issues and Elsa's attention seemed to be always necessary.

She stood up beaming and went towards her sister.

"How have they treated my right hand?" She said spreading her arms wide. Both sisters held each other in a warm and long embrace.

"Well, they have their own ideas about the meaning of a courtesy visit. In fact, they tried to entangle us in a dispute with another kingdom. But, at the end, I have arranged a conference to be held in Arendelle. Do you like the idea?" Anna's eyes sparkled with the idea of a celebration. Elsa couldn't help smiling, but she shook her head.

"Oh Elsa, I know you don't feel comfortable in those social affairs, but the sooner you get used to them the better. You can't be all the time alone in the library."

Elsa scowled. "I'm not always in the library and lately I've been with a lot of people."

"Really?" Anna replied. "Could you tell me with whom and when?"

"Well..." Elsa hesitated for a second. "Five days ago, I played a chess match with Corrado"

Anna chuckled. "He is fifty-four years old! Is he the only person you can remember being with lately? Maybe you have to start to broad your horizons." Anna asked the last phrase with mock solicitude.

"Enough Anna! I don't dislike the meeting you have planned. Actually, I think it is a good idea, but I have news that makes it impossible."

"What kind of news are you talking about?"Anna said looking at Elsa with suspicion. She feared an attempt to avoid the topic.

Elsa breathed deeply "About my weeding."

Anna gasped "I didn't know you were about to marry!"Anna looked at her sister in surprise and delight.

"Neither do I." Elsa replied with a bit of irony in her voice.

She took the letter which she was reading when Anna entered in the library and give it to her sister. Anna had a quick look at the letter, it came from the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

"Elsa, you told me that you were discussing an issue with them, but I supposed you had sent a letter to put and end to it" Anna asked confused.

"I believed that the first letter was an error, but this is his response."

"And?" Anna raised her eyebrows.

"They say that Arendelle needs a ruler"

"What does that mean? You are the Queen. You rule us"

"Both of us rule the country, but they believe that it is not enough. They fear that in the future, if I marry an enemy of England, the external relations of Arendelle would change according to my husband's inclinations. So they want to settle the issue now in a satisfactory way, at least for them." Elsa's tone was cold and detached, as if she was talking about an administrative affair.

"Elsa, this must be a joke. I can't believe it"

"If this is a joke, the British Secretary of State and the French ambassador in London are just too happy to play their parts, they both signed the petition."

"The french are also involved? Why? They never took any interest in us."

"I don't know why. We are blind. Since the death of our parents, the diplomacy of Arendelle had been neglected until we started to reactivate it almost a year ago. "

"I'm sorry. I convinced you to center our efforts in the neighboring kingdoms in order to learn by experience before starting our contacts with the great powers. "

" Don't blame yourself! It was a good idea the great powers had been ignoring us for years. Who could guess that they were to make such a movement." Elsa put a hand over Anna's shoulder. "Anyway, they are very interested now. I don't know why but they should have a reason. Nobody bothers so much without a good reason. We have to discover why they are so worried about Arendelle and try to make an arrangement in the conference. But we don't have enough time."

"Conference! What conference?"

"Sorry Anna. I haven't told you yet. They have offered to hold a conference in Arendelle next summer to solve the issue. They say that suitors from all over Europe will flock to Arendelle with the good weather as news reach the other courts. So they, England and France, will come to an agreement acceptable for everybody. I'm not sure this includes us."

"Are you going to accept that nonsense?"

"If we don't accept, they will hold the conference on their own in London or Paris and I suppose they will be kind enough to inform us in advance about who my husband will be before he arrives for the wedding." Elsa managed a brittle smile but her voice remained calm.

"Ignore them. They can't force you to marry!" Anna replied fiercely.

"That's the point. They say that if Arendelle isn't guided by a trusted ruler, and by the way neither you nor I are included in their definition of trusted rulers, they will assume that we are a menace to the balance of power in Europe."

"What are they talking about? They should be cra..." Anna interrupted.

"Let me finish. We would be a menace to the balance of powers in Europe and then England and France will be forced to implement a commercial blockade. For starters" Elsa finished.

Both sisters look to each other for a moment. Anna took a chair and sat down, She was tired after the travel and this was too much for her. Elsa sat on the desk and continued. "You know what a blockade will mean to us. We at Arendelle can't produce food enough for our population. We sell wood and furs and buy food and other commodities that we need. A blockade will bring much suffering to our people."

"They won't dare" Anna's voice was seething with anger.

"The English attacked Copenhagen years ago. They felt it was a menace and they destroyed its fleet and nearly burned the city to the ground. You have to take account of the fact that the city of Copenhagen was far greater than Arendelle. So, raising a blockade if they feel the need? Surely that won't be a problem for them. They will forbid our ships to enter their harbors and the harbors of their allies, and they will also intercept any ship heading towards or coming from Arendelle. A thing like this will ruin our commerce and deplete our food stocks for the next winter."

Anna was beginning to feel dizzy. She tried to pull herself together. "But in your coronation nobody talked about the European Balance of Power. What has changed during this year? Why have they changed their minds so much?" Her voice shook, but she managed to stay calm.

"I don't know. We should find it out quickly. Meanwhile we must accept the conference and bid our time to make an agreement"

"This is humiliating"

"I agree with that but we don't have any option. If we can't commerce we will lack food and other commodities. This winter children may die or suffer."

"Oh, Elsa this is terrible. I'm so sorry for you"

Elsa seemed uncomfortable. "There is a last point."

"Another point? What more could they possibly want?" Anna looked up, her eyes flaming with anger.

"They..." Elsa stopped.

"They... What?" Suddenly, Anna started to get nervous.

Elsa leaned in and took Anna's hands. "They talk of two weddings to be decided. I told them in my letter that you were already engaged. But, they think yours is an engagement that can be changed for the good of the country. I'm... I'm sorry Anna, I tried to exclude you from this issue, but I couldn't..." Elsa's voice lowered while talking until it became difficult to hear the last phrase.

Anna remained still and silent for a long while.

"Anna?" Elsa asked eventually.

In this moment somebody knocked.

"Hello, are you in there?" The voice of Kristoff was unconcerned. To both sisters it seemed to come from another world.

Anna sprang to her feet. "Don't tell him anything." Anna whispered in Elsa's ear. "I will tell him later, but I don't know how, yet."

"I have been thinking the same about you the last week since I received the letter." Her sister replied in the same way.

"Come in Kristoff." Elsa said aloud.

"Hey girls." Kristoff said entering into the room. "Do you want to supper?"

"Of course we want. But first give me a kiss Kristoff. I have missed both of you so much!" Elsa beamed, leaving aside her worries, since she was sincerely happy to see her sister's boyfriend.


	2. The Plains, the Empire and the Soldier

Colonel Joseph Hadik was looking through the window of his office. He had a good view of the city and its surroundings, but unfortunately the scenery was unremarkable. As far as the eye can see low rolling hills covered the countryside, although the colonel's attention was centered in the incoming storm. A strong wind from the east, blown over the great plains and the grass moved to and fro like waves on a green sea. Hadik had felt a profound dislike of that land the first time he had seen it, half a live ago. Too many friends and soldiers had vanished without trace to change that feeling.

The door opened and Michael, his aide, entered in the room. "Sir, Captain Simonyi has just arrived. He is waiting to debrief you."

The colonel smiled "Let the Captain pass" the aide nodded and turn back. "Michael! Call the cuirassier but don't let him pass until I'm finished with captain Simonyi". The colonel said to the aide who was already in the adjacent room.

"Yes sir" Michael replied while the captain entered, closing the door behind him.

"Sir" The young captain saluted while striking his heels together.

Both soldiers wore the same hussar uniform, black from tip to toe with a silver death's head displayed on their shakos, the regulation military caps. But this was the only similitude they shared. The colonel was a tall, heavily-built man in his late forties. He had fair skin and a blonde mustache over his well shaved square face.

The captain was a far younger man, in his middle twenties, slender and not as tall as his superior. His uniform was dirty, worn out and repaired with leather patches. He took his shako off, exposing his unkempt hair black like a crow's wing and a little longer than usual, the usual being already longer than the regulations allowed. His face was unshaven and his skin, darkened from the steppe sun, was covered with dust around the eyes, the zone which had not been protected by the scarf or the cap during the travel across the plains. A great stain of dry blood covered his left trouser leg.

"Is that blood, yours?" The colonel asked, looking at the officer's trousers.

"Oh no, it's from a tartar rider who hanged on me while bleeding to death."

"And you let him do it for so long that your entire trousers ended up soaked like that?" The colonel questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Well Sir, I fear I was busy dealing with his companion." Simonyi answered.

"Obviously you and your men had had a hard travel. After you failed to show a week ago, there were people who started to think that we had seen the last of you. Sit down Erik and tell me what news you bring with you"

For more than an hour the captain reported about his mission. At the end, he raised on his feet. "With your permission, I will take..."

"Wait a moment." Interrupted the colonel. "You have a visitor who is waiting for you. Michael, we have finished." The last phrase was told loud enough to be heard out of the room.

"A visitor?" The young man looked surprised. "What kind of visitor?"

"An important one." The colonel said softly while a tall man clad in a cuirassier of the guard uniform with lieutenant insignia entered the room. His white uniform was faultless as if he was ready to pass an inspection at the hands of the General Inspector from the imperial palace in Vienna.

Eric looked at the boots, they shone like mirrors.

"_Somebody has spent a lot of time cleaning those boots"_ He thought.

The newcomer performed a perfect salute and looked around the room like he was searching for somebody, until he took notice of the captain epaulettes over Erik's shoulders, they were so faded and worn out as the rest of the uniform. The lieutenant barely managed to control his expression after his initial surprised reaction, and formally asked the young officer. "Sir... Are you Captain Simonyi?" His voice suggested a real question instead of just a mere formality.

"Yes I am. And who are you?" The captain asked curtly while returning the salute. His voice stiffened when talking to the newcomer, clearly an official with the elegant manners of someone used to the courtly life of the Royal Palace in Vienna.

"Lieutenant von Leep, I carry a message from the imperial command headquarters addressed to you." The cuirassier produced an envelope while talking and handed it to its addressee.

The captain hesitated for a moment and eventually took the envelope very slowly, opening it and taking a long time to read its content with care.

"So, I have to be in Arendelle in the middle of summer." He said at last.

"I have a ship waiting for us in Odessa. Sir, we are late. We should leave as quickly as possible, if I may, I'd like to arrange our depart for Odessa in three days. I assume at that time you'll manage to rest and sort out any unfinished business you may have in the city and the regiment."

The young captain gazed to the lieutenant without talking. Eventually the cuirassier broke the silence. "Sir, do you agree to my proposal?"

"No, I will go on my own. Notify the imperial command that I will be in Arendelle at the specified date."

"But sir... The orders say..." Stammered the surprised officer.

"The orders says that I have to be in Arendelle at the middle of summer. It also gives me special permission to requisition any transport means I deem necessary to ensure that. There's nothing in the orders about how I am supposed to reach Arendelle, and I will be quicker on my own."

"But sir, the imperial delegation will depart from Vienna in a month."

"And I will meet them in Arendelle in the middle of summer." The captain's voice took the tone of a teacher repeating a lesson to a not very bright boy. "What's the problem?"

The lieutenant was confused and at a loss about how to act with this sudden turn of events. When he was assigned to the mission he had thought that it was a great opportunity: to meet the son of a duke and give him and important mission, one that came directly from the Chancellor and would allow him to leave the barbaric and dangerous eastern frontier of the empire. The long travel would be a great opportunity to acquaint himself with the young scion and ensure a good contact for the future, when his star began to rise in the court as this mission suggested it would. But alas, after two weeks of travel crossing a vast plain full of nothing and another two weeks waiting in this little and wretched town, he had met that grim-faced and shabby officer who was talking nonsense.

The lieutenant turned towards the Colonel."Sir, can you talk to the Captain in order to..."

"I'm sorry lieutenant but this issue is between the Captain and the imperial Command. I can't interfere in the way the Captain chooses to obey his orders."

The colonel had a warm dislike for all the non hussar regiments of the army, he was not going to help the young cuirassier.

The lieutenant doubted for a second until eventually he took a decision. "Well sir, if you don't need me I will take my leave."

"I don't need anything else. Thanks for bringing the message." Simonyi replied shortly.

The lieutenant left the room. The colonel laughed when the door closed behind him. "Goodness captain, you have done a friend today."

"Yes, Sir... Just one question, is Arendelle one of these little Norway kingdoms?"

The colonel burst out laughing. "If you don't know where is Arendelle how do you know you will be there in the middle of summer?"

"If It can be done with that courtesan, I'm sure it can be done on my own."

"I have heard something about your dislike for the Court, but I never thought that it was so hard. Anyway you are right, Arendelle is a Norwegian kingdom."

"One of this petty kingdoms with two or three valleys around a fiord?"

"In this case, it is even smaller than that. But it is a wealthy kingdom. They commerce with timber, furs and things like this. It is placed in the south of the Scandinavian peninsula in the west side, straight ahead of the English coast."

The colonel approached to a table full of maps took one of them and signaled the position of Arendelle. His subordinate approached and looked at the map. "So, if I depart from here." The young captain signaled a position near the north coast of the Black Sea."I can cross the plains and the northern lands following the great river and reach the Baltic Sea. Then I should take a ship, one which could carry my horse, and disembark in the east shore of the Scandinavian peninsula." Erik thought for a second before he resumed exposing his plan. "Scandinavia is covered with mountains, in such a difficult terrain I will need local guides to pass through and be in Arendelle in the middle of summer."

"You are crazy. It's a longer trip and far more difficult than the one proposed by that green cuirassier. To cap it all, the imperial permission to seize vehicles will be useless in nearly all the lands you intend to travel across. Do you really want to cross the great plains alone? Are you out of your mind? Coming spring they will be swarming with tartars and cossacks hunting and herding parties, you'll be dead before you reach the Lithuanian forts in the frontier. It is far easier taking that ship through the Black Sea to Venice and then a nice and pleasant boat trip to Vienna."

"The great plains are not a problem. I like them, it will be as when I was a scout all those years ago. I can make it, no need to worry about it" The captain smiled at the perspective.

Hadik looked at Erik despairingly. "Goodness I had forgotten your likeness for this dammed land. It would be a pity if you get killed in this stupid travel when you are going to be a suitor to the pair of Arendelle."

"Suitor for what?" Erik asked with surprise.

"To the Queen of Arendelle and her sister! All the courts of Europe are talking about it. Don't you have heard anything? A year ago, she was called the "snow queen", do you remember? There was even a song about her and who was going to thaw her heart !"

The young captain thought for a second "I remember a song my men sang about the snow queen during a march. But I can't remember any details about it, I wasn't paying attention to it. But I'm sure her heart wasn't the part of the body they were interested to thaw."

"It is the only possibility that justifies your transfer, as the son of a Duke you are a good choice as a suitor, and being half Norwegian sure didn't hurt your chances." The colonel was getting excited with the perspectives for his subordinate.

"Yes sir, my mother was Norwegian. But she died in my childbirth and I have never been in Norway." The captain's voice was unconvinced.

But Hadik continued with his argument. "Anyway, it is a good reason to call you. Now I'm sure you will be one of the suitors. For the princess I suppose, since your brother will try the queen."

"I supposed Adrian was going to be in Arendelle too." Eric grimaced at the mention of his elder stepbrother.

"He is rumored to be the suitor for the Queen. Two sisters, two brothers, the numbers match" The colonel smiled. "Rumors say that they are real beauties."

"They will told this even if they were two monsters covered with blue freckles." Replied the captain with indifference.

"You don't seem especially happy with the prospect." The colonel looked puzzled.

"Truth to be told, I'm not excited with it."

"What can you expect from a man that likes the plains?" The colonel snarled. "Anyway, a marriage like this is a great chance for your career, something any officer would dream about. And speaking of your career, before you leave I want to tell you that I'm going to send my personal request to the owner of the regiment for your immediate promotion to first captain."

"Thank you Sir!" Erick couldn't help a expression of surprise and satisfaction crossing over his face.

"I hope this will assure your return as quick as possible, even if your match with the princess doesn't happen as it should. Being a first captain you are going to command a quarter of the regiment. Do you feel capable of this?"

"Of course I am Sir."

"Then go, honour the reputation of the regiment and return to us, married or unmarried." The last words were told with desperation. "When will you depart?"

"Tomorrow sir, early in the morning."

"Tomorrow, so early?"

"Yes sir, if I have to be in Arendelle, I might need every day to arrive in time."

"Well then, I wish you the best. And be sure to pack your dress uniform, you'll need to look sharp and everybody knows all the ladies have a soft spot for our jackets, the hussar's dolman". The colonel said, shaking hands with Erik.

The young captain was about to leave the room when turned back. "Excuse me colonel, may I ask you a last question?"

"Of course you can." Hadik replied looking at his subordinate with curiosity.

"Why are the Imperial Court and the whole Europe so interested in Arendelle? It is a petty kingdom, wealthy but insignificant and too far from Vienna."

"The English are behind this, I suppose the reason being Arendelle's superb harbor and its position, is one of the Scandinavian ports nearest to the English coast. It is an excellent place to launch a full-scale invasion, and you know how the British usually reacts when a threat like that arises... They'll make sure Arendelle's not a threat, and I suppose marrying the Queen to an acceptable suitor is the easiest way... "

"I see" Erik replied while trying to remember all the information about Norway he had learned in his days as diplomatic, more than seven years ago. "But there are a lot of other good harbors with good positions and they don't care so much."

"You are right, they should have something in their minds but I don't have the slightest idea." Hadik shrugged while talking.

Erik left the colonel's office thinking about his travel to Arendelle. Seven years after the confrontation with Adrian and his voluntary service in the eastern frontier, his Highness Great Duke Adrian Simonyi has once more forced his way into his life and Erik feared that trouble would come in his wake. He tried to forget the entire issue and mentally began to make a list with all the things he'll need.

"What a crazy travel I am going to do." He said to herself. "But it sure will be better than sharing a long travel with Adrian and I will enjoy crossing the plains on my own again." The young men smiled at the perspective.

Anyway, if he really was supposed to leave the city tomorrow morning, a lot of things must be done. His clothes need to be washed, probably mended once again, and he should throw a farewell party for his fellow junior officers that night. They could go to that tavern by the river, the waitress there had a brazen gaze and the last time he had been drinking there with his companions she had cast casual glances at him.

Suddenly Erik saw a flash of lightning on the horizon.

The storm had started.


	3. Scandinavia and the King

When Konrad entered into the maps room, his brother Stephan was already there. It was not surprising, since he usually spent the best part of the day in that room. Konrad might be the King, but Stephan was the engine of the kingdom. From this room, he handled all the nuisances that should be resolved to keep the kingdom going.

The light of the sun entered through the great paneled windows. It was a beautiful day, outside the air was filled with the scent of spring. But into the room it was always the same all the year. The multiple maps that covered its walls and the books in the shelves give to the room a special smell. Usually Konrad did not sense it since he also spends a lot of time inside. But the contrast in such a beautiful day made him feel it.

"Good morning." Konrad said.

"Good morning Konrad. We have news from England." His younger brother replied, sitting at his desk while the sun beams illuminated the document he was reading.

"What kind of news?"

"News about Arendelle and they are very interesting."

"Arendelle! Is it a clue about their intentions?" Konrad asked excited.

"More than that, one of our contacts had got access to confidential information regarding a conversation between Lord Howard Halkett and the foreign secretary. They want Elsa as far away as possible."

"Is Lord Halkett going to be the English representative at the Arendelle meeting?"

"Everything seems to indicate that."

"He is sympathetic to us, but those instructions are the confirmation of our fears. It will be difficult to obtain the English acquiescence to join both crowns." Konrad said with sorrow.

"I guess so. Your claim to Queen Elsa's hand has been a waste of time and efforts. You should search your wife in another place."

"I suppose you are right, but we have staked so much on this issue! Far more than just the woman who will share my bed!" Konrad thought for a second. "Perhaps they may be convinced to allow my marriage with Queen Elsa in order to control her."

"When, a year ago, the Queen freeze and thaw the entire fiord in Arendelle at will all the warnings raised at once in London." Stephan replied with a tired voice. "You should understand them! Imagine a french fleet installed in Arendelle. The Queen might close with ice the fiord and create storms to destroy any English fleet trying to control the French and the English coast is so close. When the English fleet was destroyed or far away to avoid the storms, Elsa could thaw the fiord and stop the storms. The French fleet could choose the best point to disembark in England. They want the Queen away." Stephan finished.

"What about the faction in the English parliament that gives support to a unified Norway? Lord Halkett belongs to it. And they trust us. What is their position in this affair." Konrad asked with a bit of hope in his voice.

"That factions gives support to the idea of a unified Norway because they feel that will be easier to control a unique Norway instead that a lot of little kingdoms, each one with the opportunity to make a pact with the French. If we had a unique capital they would need only a fleet to control it. That saves money and efforts. With Elsa all this is nonsense. She is dangerous enough in Arendelle let alone in a unified Norway." Stephan replied.

"If both crowns join we could use Arendelle's wealth. We could put the foundations of a future Norway Kingdom".

"Don't bother with it and tell me, have you got any news from Paris?" Stephan asked to his brother.

"Our network in France is small and the French are just reacting to the English interest in Arendelle. They are not so involved, they just want to avoid any advantage for the English. Their position is not so clear and, hence, it is more difficult to know what they are going to do" Konrad's face was grim while telling it.

"Have they decided who will represent France?" Stephan inquired.

"Christian Mullon, he was officially confirmed yesterday."

"He is a young man, his appointment is surprising. Has he any contact with the timber business?" Stephan had an absent expression on his face, while asking it. His mind was obviously far away trying to remember everything he knew about Mullon.

"No, maybe he wants to get involved in it. Maybe, We should play our cards with the French if we want to marry the Queen of Arendelle."

"This is a dangerous option." Stephan said, returning abruptly to the real world.

" I know, if we side with the French too obviously. We can lose English confidence." Konrad nodded nervously while talking.

"What about the suitors? Is there any new about who will come to Arendelle?" Stephan asked.

"I am afraid that the news on this subject are not good. Imperials are going to get involved."

"Imperials? Do you refer to Vienna? What business have them in Arendelle?" Stephan voice sounded almost offended for the undesired and unexpected interference.

"I'm not sure, but there's a rumor going around that they will try to marry both of them with an Imperial. The suitor for Elsa would be a Hungarian duke."

"It will be a complete disaster if the Empire establishes a foothold in Norway they will block our efforts." Stephan pointed out. "Do you have any other good news like this?" He concluded sarcastically.

"Almost, the English candidate will be von Shrader the Prussian Count." Konrad raised his eyebrows saying that.

"That crazy fool, less powerful but closer, we will have the same problem with him. Whom does he want to marry, Elsa or Anna?"

"That is the funny point, he will marry any one of them. He prefers Elsa but he will marry Anna if he can't get the elder sister."

"I should be surprised, but with this crazy Prussian everything is possible. And the French candidate, do you have any sign of which decision they will take?"

"It will be Mullon's decision and I don't have the slightest hint about it."

"Everything would have been easier if Anna had been the queen." Stephan said.

"Why? Instead of two brides there were just one and the same suitors. The English would still press for marrying Princess Anna with somebody that suits them. Even if Queen Elsa wasn't the Queen, she would be equally dangerous!" Konrad asked surprised.

"Not if she is dead. They want Elsa far away and I think that the next world is far enough to satisfy them. They would not care any more about who rules in Arendelle. Who marries the Queen of Arendelle will be a local issue again and our previous situation of trusted partners would be restored. Those external powers aren't mighty enough or are too far away to impose their suitors on their own without English support. Even if Anna had the opportunity to choose who will be her husband it might come from a minor Norway power, and then we could put pressure on them." Stephan explained.

"I see. It's a pity that Hans failed when he tried to kill the elder sister. Talking about Hans where left you him?" Konrad asked.

"He spent his days in the old fortress since you put me in charge of him." Stephan said in a cold tone.

"The old fortress..." Konrad walked to the great paneled window which was oriented to the sea and looked through the glass towards the distant horizon. There, to the south, lay the little islands which were the ancestral seat of their dynasty. From that point his ancestors had taken the control of the nearby shores and built a kingdom, the kingdom still was named the kingdom of the southern isles or just southern isles as a reminder of the origin of the dynasty.

Konrad thought about the old fortress, the first fortress of the dynasty, the place where its kings were still crowned. It was an old, grim and stark place. The founder of the dynasty, centuries ago, was a Norse warlord more concerned for the defensive attributes of the building than for its commodity. For several generations its gentler descendants had tried to improve it as a palace, but the old building resisted all attempts to change its former role. At the end, when the territory inland was far more important than the islands, a new palace was built and a new capital, Westergard, was raised around it. But the old fortress, with all its traditions in it, remained out at sea, in the limit of the horizon, only visible in the clear days.

"Have you left your own brother for almost an entire year in that old and crumbling ruin? You are merciless." Konrad said at last, smiling.

"The same time you let pass without paying him a visit nor interesting a little bit for him or are you playing at the Invisible brother as we used to do when we were kids?" Stephan replied with heavy sarcasm.

Konrad laughed at his brother recriminations." You are right, it is time to pay him a visit. I am sure, he will have a lot of useful information about Arendelle and its charming rulers. He had the control of the realm for almost two days." Konrad strode towards the door while saying that.

"What about the conference? Are you going to contact the French?" Stephan asked while sitting again in his desk.

"If the English didn't let any option I will try it."

Stephan scowled. "It would be dangerous. The English could find out our movement."

But Konrad had already left the room leaving Stephan alone with his documents.


	4. France and the Grandee of Spain

Lady d'Arvanville, madam Gonzaga after her marriage, was elated for the first time in years, in fact, she had not been so moved since her wedding, more than twenty years ago. The day she had married a Spanish duke. The day she had joined one of the oldest dynasties in Europe. The day she had become the wife of a Spanish Grandee with the privilege to sit down in the presence of the Spanish king. The day she had been imprisoned in a jail, a jail so well constructed that the death of his husband only significance was that the jail was left without jailer. But she remained inside anyway, trapped in that odious country surrounded by those odious people with her poor son.

But today was different, her cousin Christian was coming to pay her a visit. Both had spent long summers together at her father's chateau in their childhood. He had been almost like a brother for her, almost and more... A long time has passed and they had followed different ways. She was in her dukedom seat and Christian had become a rising star in the French diplomacy. He was only thirty seven years old, but had been chosen as the French delegate in the Arendelle affair, before older and more experienced men.

And he needed her, eventually Christian had sent a letter asking for an appointment. They had agreed to meet in a little possession of the dukedom in a little volcanic region by the Pyrenees near the French frontier. She was even unaware of the existence of this little palace, it had been necessary Pedro's intervention to take into account that forgotten place, so horrible as the rest of the duchy scattered through Spain.

She thought for a moment about Pedro, he was a clever and resourceful man. Maybe he was too clever. He had proposed the place for the meeting after he heard a conversation between D'Arbanville and her son. Later, after two weeks waiting for Christian, she had discovered that it was the home of Pedro's family. She didn't trust Pedro but he was the only person able to always calm down her son.

In this moment somebody knocked at the door. The voice of her personal maid came through the door. "Madam Gonzaga, the guests are arriving."

She heard noises from the courtyard and went to the window. The French delegation was entering, at his head was a tall man with chestnut hear. He dismounted and handed his horse to a servant while talking with him. Christian always was gentle with everybody, a quick talk with a servant, a courtesy with a maiden, and he will remember every face, every comment to bring it up in the future giving to everybody the sensation of being special. D'Arbanville remembered that that was one of his charming abilities. Christian was now crossing the courtyard heading towards the main gate where Andres, the seneschal, was waiting. Christian saluted him as if he was an old acquaintance. She wondered when they have met before and realized that the only possibility was the day of her marriage almost twenty years ago.

D'Arbanville left the window and went to the main hall of the building. In a normal palace it would have been just a room for small meetings, but in that deplorable building it should be used for the receptions. When she entered Christian and the seneschal were already awaiting her. They were talking and even the seneschal, that ugly man that always behaved like being at its own funeral, had a faint smile in his face that disappeared when the lady came in.

"Monsieur Christian Mullon" Andres announced in his usual stark way.

Christian's face was not handsome it was too long and his air was a little bit thin but his smile overcome all these defects. The devil would have envied that smile. She had not seen him for more than ten years, anyway she still remembered his smile and how he used it to get anything he wanted. He had a slight limp, caused by an old wound from his service in the "Marine nationale", but anyway he moved with graceful elegance.

"Madam D'Arbanville." Christian said, bowing and waving his hat. That was not correct, she was madam Gonzaga since his marriage, D'Arbanville was her father family name, but she cannot help feeling delighted.

"Monsieur Mullon" She formally replied to his salute. "Let us alone." She ordered to the seneschal.

He left the room, slowly as not approving that the lady was alone with a visit, followed by D'Arbanville's suspicious glance

"Elise, looking at you is like seeing a part of my youth, you brought me summer memories of your father's chateau. The time has not passed in your presence." Christian told smiling when they were alone. In fact, Christian was really surprised, they haven't seen for ten years, but she was still a striking beautiful woman. Her straight, long hair had retained the jet black color of their youth and their intense gaze reflected his willpower and intelligence.

"But it has passed anyway. I am glad to meet you Christian, a long time ago since your last visit." She replied smiling and offering her right hand.

He leaned in taking the offered hand and kissed it. All was done slowly as an old ritual happened a long time ago and half forgotten. Both looked into each other eyes for a moment with the man holding the woman's hand.

She retired her hand slowly. "Yes, ten years is a long time."

"Dear cousin I was on my duties as a diplomat. It was difficult to pay you a visit in the main seat of your dukedom. It is a little far away of any place. Do you know it?"

"It not seemed to be so far away at the beginning, but at least you have come." She said with satisfaction.

"You accepted to marry him, do you remember? Anyway the past is in the past, France needs you." Christian finished changing the subject of the conversation.

"Me and my son, since we are talking about his wedding." She pointed out.

"Of course, your son is also involved." Christian accepted. "It is a great opportunity for him. He will marry the Queen of a wealthy country."

"He is a Spanish Grandee, the honor is for the petty Queen of that small country. I have also my informers my dear cousin. Arendelle is little more than a small town." She finished scornfully.

"Don't judge Arendelle by Spanish standards, it has a commerce net that could compete with some of your great harbors." Christian replied.

"Anyway why do you care so much? It is a minor issue."

"It is not a minor issue, the English want to control Arendelle. It may be the perfect point to launch an invasion over British soil. For the same reason, France needs a trusted ruler in Arendelle. A ruler sympathetic to France when a new war between both countries break out."

"Will there be war between France and England?" She asked in surprise.

"Of course there is going to be! Both countries have been at war since medieval times, it is just a matter of time."

D'Arbanville thought for a moment. "I don't believe you Christian." She stated curtly, though displaying a delightful smile.

Christian was puzzled by the sudden reply."What do you mean?"

"My father entered in contact with me, after more than five years without any notice, explaining that wonderful history of yours and asking me to be loyal to my country. Only when I forced him, he acceded to mediate in a meeting between you and I." While talking she kept on smiling.

"And?" Christian gazed at her with suspicion.

"My father would never helped you to convince me unless he had something at stake, something really important. If he acceded to act in your behalf, he will get some advantage."

"Elisa you are talking no sense, I was very busy with the details of the conference at Arendelle and your father was kindly enough to contact you and..."

"I desire you a good return journey Christian." She interrupted abruptly.

"Excuse me?" Christian asked, his eyes wide opened.

"If you are not going to tell me the truth, all this conversation is useless. I think it is better to put and end to it." D'Arbanville went on smiling when saying that and for a moment Christian really felt in the summers of his youth. When both were young and bold and he understood that this match was for her.

"Timber." He said at last.

"What?" She was momentarily taken aback.

"Arendelle is one of the greatest providers of timber in Europe. In its nearly inhabited inland lay great forests of the best quality. After the last war, France lost nearly all its war fleets. We are rebuilding them and we need timber, France had great reserves, but they are nearly exhausted, so we are forced to import timber from the Scandinavian countries. I don't trust the English. All this history of being threatened by Arendelle is a feint to control one of our most important timber providers. We cannot accept that, the reconstruction of our navy depends on the timber supply from the north." Christian explained.

"And my father is involved in this." She stated.

"Oh course. He is one of the greatest naval constructors in France, his shipyards are working the whole day with timber from the north. If your son marries Queen Elsa his agents will be free to enter in Arendelle and take all the timber we need."

"So, this is the reason because he contacted me instead of leaving the nuisance of convincing me to you. He is going to earn a lot of money. How kind of you to be so eager to pay me a visit after more than ten years." She concluded with a barely disguised sneer.

"As I told you before the past is in the past. Are you going to help us? " He asked.

"Of course I am going to help you, if you accept my conditions."

"What are these conditions?"

"My son will have his share of the timber business."

"I will have to discuss that with your father."

"Talk with him then. Another point, Elias and me will go to Arendelle with you."

"Why? I could handle it by my own and Elsa would come to Spain to get married."

"I want to see her first. I want to be sure that she deserves to marry my son."

"Elisa, She is a Queen..." Christian raised a hand to stop the incoming interruption. "I know, he is a Grandee." Christian thought for a second. "I want to see the boy."

"His name is Elias. Why do you want to see him?"

"I want to see if he is fit to marry the Queen of Arendelle."

"Why not? He is a Spanish Grandee."

"Elisa, there's a rumor going round that..."

"Whatever you have heard it is exaggerated."

"Well, then I just want to see your son. He is the son of a childhood friend, almost a sister. What's wrong with it?" He smiled as an old friend.

Lady D'Arbanville got up and gestured to Christian to follow her. They went through the castle until they reached a small garden. It was a beautiful and peaceful place with good views to the valley. A youmanman in his early twenties was sitting on a stone bench. He was handsome, with his mother's dark air and a long face. Her hazel eyes were staring into space with emotionless expression.

"Hello Elias, uncle Christian has come, at last, to see you." Lady D'Arbanville said. The boy ignored her and carried on looking to a distant point.

"Hello Elias." When Christian spoke the boy turned to face him with an absent expression. Christian went on talking. "Do you know why I am here?"

"Yes because I am going to marry a Queen." Elias spoke slowly as if he was uncertain about what he was talking about.

Christian doubted for a second, the boy seemed so fragile. "Well, do you feel strong enough to go to that country? It is a long travel."

Elias gave him a puzzled look. "Travel? What..."

"Pedro, take Elias out for a walk" Elias' mother said to a young man, clad in a dark green uniform of the mounted lancers, standing in a corner of the garden. Pedro moved forward and took Elias along with him. Christian followed Elias with his eyes while the young man walked away.

The lancer had a thin and bony face framed by long black air with an aquiline nose and intense dark eyes that gazed without fear at lady d'Arbanville. "The only servant, but Andres, who isn't afraid of Elisa." Thought Christian while looking at the tall and slender man with curiosity.

"He got sick and the fever affected his mind. He has got the mentality of a thirteen years old." D'Arbanville explained to Christian.

"I see. And do you want to marry him?"

"Of course I want. He was normal before the fever, so he can have healthy children. Children that will inherit the dukedom." D'Arbanville said with decision.

"Do you want this child to father a son? Are you sure that he would know what to do with a woman?" Christian couldn't help saying that in an ironic tone of voice.

"Mind your own business." The woman's reply was cold as ice. "I will not allow my brother-in-law to inherit the dukedom. The dukedom will remain under my descendants. I have not suffered so much in this dirty country, to leave everything to this rabble."

"All right, I will talk with your father and you and Elias can come with me to Arendelle."

"Thank you Christian." Lady D'Arbanville smiled, kissed Christian on the cheek and left the garden taking along Elias.

Christian remained for a moment in the garden pondering. The issue had been easier than expected, D'Arbanville that old miser should hand over part of the profits, but he will retain the best part. The fact that they will come to Arendelle was a nuisance, but it was an acceptable one. He doubted if the boy was a good choice. At the end he decided that being mentally retarded might be an argument in his favor for the English. Anyway, nobody was going to take into account queen Elsa's preferences.


	5. England, Prussia and Two Friends

The sea was calm. A slight breeze blew over the still water while the little boat approached to the beautiful frigate anchored in the middle of the harbor. The white ensign, a white banner with the St. George cross and a union jack in the upper quarter, flew from the top of the frigate bow.

The boat approaching to the frigate was manned by twelve men, in the bow a man was sitting on a chair with a glass of wine . He was in his late fifties and had his right foot bandaged and resting over the board of the boat. He was a tall man with broad shoulders and a belly even bigger. His long black air fell over his shoulders in out of fashion braids and a long mustache hanged from his upper lip until almost her chest. He was dressed in hussar uniform, but his fat figure looked strange in the light cavalry uniform usually worn by younger and more athletic men.

Two young men were also in the boat, both dressed as civilians. One was in the stern looking at the frigate, the other was on the bow talking with the older man. Both were tall , broad shouldered and more athletic than their seated companion.

The man by the chair, stroked her thick black hair while talking with the older man. "They didn't like that you asked to marry either of the Arendelle pair." While talking, he inspected the frigate with a pair of cold, gray eyes. the gray was so light that the iris was almost colorless. A long scar crossed the left cheek of the man's face, giving him a grim expression.

The old man cleared his throat and spit over the board before talking. "Hypocrites! Otto, Why should be a problem bidding for the second best horse If you can't get the best in an auction."

"Uncle Friedrich! Queen Elsa and Princess Anna aren't horses." Said the young man in a toneless voice.

"Of course! And the English and you worry so much about hurting the ladies' feelings." The seated man roared with laughter saying that. "Now, you are the hypocrite. You have been too much time with the English my dear nephew."

"You have been fighting for them half of your life, I supposed you have developed some affection towards them."

"Towards some of them, you can be sure of that." For a second his joking manner evaporated and his voice was curt. "But when you negotiate with them, they don't have enemies nor friends only interests, which is a good starting point to meet an agreement." Completed the old man in his usual flippant way.

"Will they support our claim to queen Elsa's hand?"

"If they believe that we are the best option, why not?" Friedrich shrugged, saying that.

"And will they believe that?"

"Depends on what options they found at the conference. This is an international meeting think of it as an auction in a Turkish slave market, but with less reliable people." The old hussar smiled wryly.

"Isn't it precious?" Shouted the young man on the bow with delight, signaling the English frigate, and turning towards them while talking. He wore a thick black beard, and had a broad smile. "Isn't it a princess of the seas?"

Otto looked at the ship with upset. "I don't understand why they choose a war ship to make the travel. A good brigantine would have been more comfortable and faster.

"Because sir Howard Halkett believes that diplomacy is a silk glove over a steel gauntlet, and he wants to be sure that the rulers of Arendelle feel the cold of the steel. A sign of the cannons of the frigate will remember them why they should accept the result of the meeting."

"The English are the best ship builders of the world." Interrupted again the man on the bow.

"You are right Kurt, but they didn't built this ship." The old Hussar replied teasing.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked in surprise.

"They seized this frigate from the French in the last war." The old man replied in a cheerful mood, then turned towards Otto and added softly. "The French will feel the cold of the gauntlet also."

"Well, they captured this ship with a ship made by the English anyway." Kurt stated smiling from the stern. He turned and started to wave to the ship.

Otto looked at Kurt with disdain. The old man gave a little laugh. "You are so different as only two brothers can be." He said with a smile in his face.

"Why have you asked him to come with us? He is useless in a negotiation of this kind."

"He isn't so bad negotiator as you think, but his style is different than yours.

Otto looked at his uncle with a dubious expression. "I don't believe you. I'm sure you have another reason to bring Kurt with us."

"Well. Another reason is that he is a personal friend of Allan Halkett the nephew of the English representative, is this enough for you?".

Otto shook his head. He was going to say something when his uncle interrupted him. Look! we are arriving, Ask for a rope to lift me up."

Lord Howard Halkett was captain's cabin looking a map of Europe. He leaned forward, pulling all his weight on both hands on the table. The door flung open, and his younger brother, Collin Halkett, clad in its red uniform of British infantry colonel, entered into the room without knocking.

Both brothers were utterly different. The elder was a gaunt man of average height with a long rectangular face and sandy hair, his stark manner was reflected in his cold blue eyes. Collin Halkett was a rather corpulent man, a little bit too corpulent for his average size, the only resemblance between both brothers. His round face and easy smile were framed by balding red hair.

"Friedrich Von Schrader is coming." He said in a cheerful mood.

"I have seen him from the bridge." Said the older brother without raising his gaze from the map. I also see that you are eager to see him." Howard took a pencil and write a note in a paper by the map.

"It has been a long time since we met. We fought together in the King's German Legion all the wars against France. I want to see that old walrus again." Collin clicked his tongue. "We are getting older and it may be our last opportunity to get drunk together." He looked at the open envelope on the table. "Had the courier who reached us entering in the port brought any news from Arendelle?"

Howard raised his gaze from the map and look at his brother."He brought Queen Elsas's reply to our notification that we are controlling the commerce of Arendelle in order to don't allow them to accumulate food. Since we are menacing Arendelle with a blockade, there is no point in allowing them to accumulate large stocks of food."

"And what has she replied?"

"She expresses her surprise for such words from a friendly country and states that Arendelle accumulates food at autumn, when the harvest starts. She expects this issue will have been solved to everybody's satisfaction by then, and England won't interfere with Arendelle provisions for winter."

"It is not a bad reply for a twenty two years old girl. She replies to our bullying without committing herself." Said Collin with an appraising look.

"That's right" Replied Howard with a grim expression in his face. He was going to add something, but there was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Said Howard.

A young man in his last twenties entered into the room. "Hello uncle Howard, Hello uncle Collin. We have already loaded water and fresh food. As soon as von Schrader has come on board, we'll depart immediately". He was tall and hefty, with a handsome rectangular long face like his uncle Howard, strong jaw and sandy blonde hair. His blue eyes shone with security.

"Perfect Allan, thank you for handling everything so quickly. It is not easy to arrive at a port an depart so early, but we have to arrive to Arendelle as quick as possible. I want to talk with the French delegate before the beginning of the meetings." Said Howard.

"Don't worry, it have been a good test for my men." Replied Allan.

"Well Captain. " Said Collin. "How do you feel after your first journey as captain of the frigate."

"Great! But I would feel far better if my first travel had been with the fleet that is going to deal with the Chinese."

"Don't worry." Replied his uncle Howard. " You will have plenty of time to catch them up when we finish the Arendelle issue."

"Sincerely, I don't understand why is so important that I'm in Arendelle. I would be more useful with the fleet."

"This ship is faster than the fleet. You will join them before they reach the Indian Ocean, and fight anyway in the war against the Chinese. Here you may learn some valuable lessons."

"Uncle Howard, in the Indian Ocean we are conquering a Continent, half India is under our control and China comes next. Arendelle is just a little town. I don't understand why England is spending so much time and efforts to marry the Queen or the Princess of Arendelle with that old and unpleasant man."

"Because France can use the timber from Arendelle to build a fleet, and its harbor combined with the queen's abilities to invade us."

"Come on, uncle! You have already explained that to me and You haven't convinced me. We already crushed them in the last war."

"Allan, the English army is far smaller than the French army." Replied Howard Halkett.

"We didn't win the last war alone. The other European powers also fought the French." Added Collin.

"England is an island and relies in the navy to protect itself. I mean that our army is not the main priority, and our population is much smaller than the French population. In the last war the French army was four times bigger than ours. If the French used the powers of that girl to nullify the navy, our best card, disembark one of their huge armies in England would be easy. It may be the end for us. Our allies in the continent would sit and enjoy the show, and anything we have conquered in the Indian ocean will be pretty useless. In Arendelle we are going to decide the political situation in the Norwegian petty kingdoms for the next two or three decades. They are our closest neighbors on the other side of the north sea, therefore they are important enough. "

"But uncle, we are raising an empire, so great that it will provide far more resources for a war than England itself."

"Maybe in the future, but now and in our lifetime the fate of England will be decided in Europe by European resources and threads." Argued Howard with a bit of passion in his voice."Allan, it is the duty of the diplomacy to ensure that our navy and army will have the best possible positions if we go to war. If this implies that I have to marry those girls from Arendelle with the Turkish sultan, I will spend the necessary time and resources to get it. And I think it will be pretty instructive for you to see how things like this are arranged. Have I been clear enough ?"

"In this case I hope they enjoy the harem's life." Interrupted Collin Halkett. He strode to the door. "I am going to receive the old and unpleasant man. Allan, remember that he had fought for England in dark days." He walked out slamming the door behind him.

"Your uncle is very loyal to his friends. I recommend you to restrain your comments about the Prussian." Said Allan's uncle.

"This is the reason because you are supporting his claim to Queens Elsa's hand."

"No, he is a trusted ally, personal friend of the Prussian King and the leader of the pro-English faction in his court, not to mention that he had a good deal of contacts in the English parliament, and controls some of the bigger fleets that feed with timber our shipyards. All of them are good reasons to give support to his claim, but I'm going to get the best pact for England. If I had to choose another option, I would do it. And your uncle is fully aware of that whatever may be his personal preferences."

"He is rather overfond of the Prussians, I understand that he remained as Colonel in spite of your contacts." Said Allan with a smirk on his face.

"Someday you will know about your uncle's whereabouts, but now prepare our departure, and make a warm reception to your friend Kurt." Allan smiled at such words and strode towards the door.

When Kurt reached the deck of the frigate a ensign addressed to him. "The captain Halkett ask for your presence in the quarterdeck."

"Captain Halkett?" Said Kurt surprised. He turned towards his uncle.

"Go Kurt, go." Said the old hussar, hanging from the rope that was lifting him from the boat to the deck. "As you can see time had not been gentle with me Collin. When we were young we jumped over enemy trenches and now I need a rope just to go on board." Said von Shrader talking with Collin Halkett who was looking the odd maneuver.

"If you hadn't drunk like a Russian cossack and ate like a French noble, you wouldn´t have developed gout." Replied Collin Halkett, with a broad grin on his round face.

Kurt followed the junior officer through the deck which was humming with the activity of the sailors preparing the ship to depart. Kurt can't help stopping in the middle of the deck and look upwards to see the veteran sailors unfurling the sails.

"Sir?" Said the ensign obviously uncomfortable with a guest under his responsibility standing in the middle of the deck.

"Oh, sorry. Let's go" Replied Kurt following him and looking at the unfolding sails.

His old friend was on the bridge checking the ships maneuver. The sight of Allan made Kurt feel uncomfortable. They haven't seen each other for five years and Kurt feared to meet a stranger. The ensign saluted and Allan turned to face his old friend. They stared each other for a moment, it had been a long time since Alan's departure to the East Indies as a frigate lieutenant. Eventually they shook hands.

"I received your last letter before I left Bombay." Said Allan, looking at his old friend from head to foot.

"And I received your gift from India. Thank you, it is wonderful."

"I supposed you would like it, it comes from a crumbling ruin." Both men laughed at the joke.

"It is a wonderful sculpture, but how do you move it. It is quite heavy!"

"It was in a temple by the sea. When I saw it, I remembered you taking me to all the old Norman stone castles in Yorkshire, regardless how ruinous they were." Allan said the last phrase simulating an angry look. "And I decided to send something from the temple to you."

Kurt smiled, remembering the years passed in England, in the House of Allan's uncle."Well, these were good years." Kurt looked around."Congratulations!. It is not usual to be Captain of a frigate at the age of twenty eight."

"It is not so strange, if you take into account that I started as midshipman in my uncle's ship at the age of twelve, although it is only an old ship taken from the French in the last war. Anyway I'm going to do great things with it. There will be plenty of opportunities in the Chinese rebellion."

"Rebellion? Do you refer to the conflict with the Chinese? It is a war since they are an independent empire. "

"It is a rebellion, but they still don't know it. When we finish this petty issue regarding Arendelle we will teach them to accept it."

Kurt smiled at his friend vehemence. " You haven't changed at all. The whole of Europe is looking to Arendelle and you call it a petty issue. Not to mention the queen and princes of Arendelle who are going to be married, I doubt that they describe this unpleasant situation as petty."

Allan shrugged his shoulders. "Regarding this unpleasant situation, why are you here? I may be wrong, but I think it is not your usual kind of negotiations."

"You are right. I dislike the whole issue, but my uncle ordered me to come."

"Why does he want you here?"

"I don't know. Otto has been trying to find the real reason out, but he only gets vague responses."

"Why has your uncle become involved in this affair? I'm sure that he hasn't begun to feel amorous."

"He hasn't. I'm sure of that." Replied Kurt smiling."The wealth of Arendelle, Prussia is struggling with The empire for the control of the German confederation, a lot of petty kingdoms placed between France and Prussia from the Baltic to the Alps. The one who prevail will be the core of a unified Germany. They need huge amounts of money to maintain their influence over the German Confederation, and Arendelle could provide a good deal."

"Well". Said Allan patting his friend's shoulder. "Despite your unwillingness to come, I will enjoy your company in this short travel to Arendelle. Wait a minute!" Alan gave an order to one of the ensigns, and the young officer left immediately. Alan went on speaking with Kurt. "I have so many things to explain to you while we enjoy the travel, and I have been told that the scenery of the Scandinavian coast is impressive."

"Regarding to the Scandinavian coast, may we made a brief stop on the way?" Asked Kurt.

Allan looked to the sky and took a deep breath. "Tell me, what old ruin do you want to see?"

"You catch me! In our way to Arendelle we pass the Southern Isles kingdom."

"Yes, and?"

"In one island near the shore, in fact the main island, there is one of the first fortress build by the kingdom's dynasty. "

"And?"

"Come on! It has more than four centuries! I have been told that some silly kings of the southern isles tried to transform it in a palace, but it still remains as a Norse warlord castle."

"You are hopeless. We are on a diplomatic mission with the eyes of half Europe over us, and you want to make a stop to visit an old castle."

"It will last only a few hours. Don't you have to make a stop to make a routine maintenance of the ship? You are the captain of the ship, you decided when it has to make a stop. Don't you?"


	6. Lithuania and the Prince

It was a beautiful summer day, the sun was setting and Vladimiras spent the last hours of the day practicing swordsmanship. He had started with Antanas, his fifteen years old nephew. One hour later the young was resting, trying to get his breath back and his uncle practiced with two opponents at the same time.

Both men facing Valdimiras were skilled fighters, as a matter of fact they were members of his personal guard and had fought at his side more than one battle. The soldiers surrounded their leader and approached from opposite directions trying to attack at the same time. Vladimiras who was almost two meters tall, broad shouldered and brawny, seemed a great bear surrounded by cautious hounds.

Antanas watched his uncle having some trouble containing his adversaries. If he had centered his interest on one of them, the other would have attacked him taking advantage of his lack of attention. So he was being forced to switch his attention from one to the other time and again trying to keep their attacks under control, waiting for them to make a mistake.

They have been training during fifteen minutes when Aras, the seneschal of his father entered in the training area behind the barracks and called him. "Prince Vladimiras, your father calls you."

The three men stopped and stood in the middle of the courtyard panting with sweat covering their bare chests. "Rest for a while, it has been a good training." Said the prince to his men. "Antanas, it's your turn. Practice with Steponas."

A short and bulky man, in his early fifties, moved forward to the center of the training area, he was bald and a great scar run across his face from the chin to the left eyebrow. His left eye was empty due to the scar. "Come with me Antanas, let's work a bit of sweat." When smiling the left side of his mouth, where the scar crossed it, looked similar to a wolf baring its teeth.

The young stole a cautious glance at the short man. Antanas had inherited his height from his father, the elder brother of Vladimiras, and at the age of fifteen, he was taller than Steponas. But he knew the character and skill of his new opponent who was not going to be so gentle as his uncle.

Prince Vladimiras followed his father's courier, while putting on his shirt, through the keep door and the stairs to the main hall. His father was seated on the throne and raised his head when they come in, giving his son a suspicious stare.

The king had been a handsome and strong man, tall like the men of his dynasty used to be. But old age had not been gentle with him. The defeat of his country and the death of all his sons but Vladimiras had eroded his health and only remained a shadow of the great king he had been. He spent his days in the main hall as if watching for an enemy who was going to steal his throne.

"Good morning Vladimiras, how old are you?" The King said when his son reached the bottom of the stairs which led to the top of the dais.

Vladimiras was taken aback by the strange question."Twenty seven, father." He answered frowning. "But you already know that." Finally added with caution.

The King looked at his son while he went upstairs. Long blonde hair fell over Valdimiras' shoulders and a trimmed goatee decorated his well shaved face. His ice blue colored eyes gazed at his father attentively."Old enough to get married. Prepare your entourage to depart as soon as possible to Arendelle." The old men's voice sounded cold. It was the same tone which might have been used to give orders to a soldier regarding the daily routine.

"Arendelle? You are talking about Queen Elsa's marriage?" Vladimiras asked calmly.

"Of course I'm talking about her. You are going to be the king of Lithuania when I die, princess Anna is not enough for you!" Was the king's curt response.

Vladimiras though for a while, as if he wasn't sure about the advisability of a reply. "Father, the summer campaign has started two weeks ago. Our army is moving against the Tartars and on Monday I was going to depart with my men to join them. Why I have to marry right now?"

"Because you will be king, and one duty of the kings is to father sons, and it is a little bit difficult if you don't have a woman."

"You already have nieces and Antanas, as the firstborn son of my elder brother, will inherit the kingdom. I wonder why there is such a hurry to marry me."

"A king should have sons, not nephews." Was the angry response. The king took a deep breath and continued in a soft but tense voice."You should be in Arendelle in two weeks. I know that this is not the best moment, but we have to seize the opportunity while we can."

"Why is so important that I marry that westerner queen?"

"Well, a week ago you explained me the advantages we would get opening our commerce to the west." The eyes of the prince shone with the sudden turn of the conversation. His father remained silent for a moment, fully aware of the interest of his son, before went on."Arendelle will be a good port of call for our merchant ships and its commercial network a good support for us."

"But you turned the idea down flat. You even didn't let me finish my explanation." The prince shook his head while talking. " Why you have changed your mind."

"The old man clicked his tongue. "Anyway you will open our commerce to westerners when I lay in my grave, you just will do it slightly earlier."

"This is not enough father, you know that I am going to change many things when I Am the King. And this is the firs time that you accept one of these changes."

"Will be reason enough for you that with the wealth of Arendelle at our side, we will be able to throw out the Imperials from the plains."

"Father you are talking nonsense and you know it. We don't have enough manpower. The Imperials decimated our army in the last war. We were lucky to get a peace treaty. Maybe your grandchildren will be powerful enough to change that, but you and I will die with them in the plains."

"The wealth of Arendelle will accelerate the process." Repeated stubbornly the old man.

"Father, the Imperials will be our allies in the following decades. We can like or dislike it, but our army will cooperate with the imperial army against the Tartars. Regarding the Imperials, what about the meeting with their commanders in the plains to coordinate both armies? I must be in that meeting!"

"Always talking with the Imperials, how fond you are of them! You have forgotten that they killed your four brothers?"

"I haven't . Although it was in battle and we lost the war. I can't leave our army for..."

"You even have friends between them" The old man interrupted, obviously he didn't even was listening to his son. "Relationships like this aren't suitable."

"Father this is not the point. You still haven't given me a valid reason to marry queen Elsa."

"Because I ask you to do so. I have my reasons and they are for the best of our land and people. A wise man always takes its decisions motivated by different reasons. You should accept the ones that I give to you." They remained silent for a moment gazing into each other eyes.

"Are you going to obey my orders or I must blame the Imperials for losing all my sons?" The old man asked with a tired voice, while staring at his last remaining son.

The prince stood his fathers gaze for a while, but finally the lowered his head heaving a sigh. "I'm sorry father. You command and I obey." He said at last. "But I need something to give in exchange."

"What do you mean?" The voice of the King seemed wary.

"They won't give the most desired bride of Europe away to me just because they like me. I need something to offer in exchange."

"And?" The King looked at Vladimiras as if he had turned into a venomous snake.

"You told it. Our commerce is the key. If we opened our commerce to a western nation in exclusive for ten or twenty years they would support our claim."

"And you would do it only to ensure your marriage with Queen Elsa. Are you sure that there isn't any other thing you can offer in exchange?"

"A wise man always takes its decisions motivated by different reasons. And it is the only thing that I'm going to offer in exchange." Vladimiras smiled towards his father saying that last words.

Vladimiras left the main hall and went outside. He walked toward the staircase to the battlements. While crossing the courtyard, he met a valet.

"Fetch Steponas, he is training in the barracks. Tell him to come to the battlements with all members of my personal council." The servant nodded and went to carry out the order."

The prince went upstairs and looked the scenery from the battlements. He covered his face with both hands, leaning the elbows on the battlements. Every time he talked with his father, he felt the necessity to breath fresh air. After a long snort he lowered his hands and looked to the west, far away through land and sea was Arendelle and his wife to be.

He watched the setting sun while his men went up and joined around him in the gathering dusk. Eventually he heard Steponas voice. "Everybody who is in the castle is here, my lord."

Vladimiras turned to face his men. All were gazing at the prince, in a few days they were supposed to meet the army and they wonder what he was going to say. "There are going to be changes in the planning of the campaign." The prince started to say.

"Are we going to kill Imperials instead of Tartars?" Interrupted Steponas voice. All the men around him burst into a laugh. The prince looked around him smiling. They were his loyal retainers, most of them had suffered with him the harsh defeats of two years ago against the Imperials and the even harsher retreat from the plains. For a moment his mind went back and remembered a snow covered landscape with mounted figures, clad in black with a death's head in their caps, moving through the trees.

Vladimiras' shook his head as if throwing out undesired memories."No, we are going to fight on the empire's side against the Tartars, but I am not going to command the army I have to go to Arendelle to get a Queen for Lithuania."

All the group fell in dead silence. Vladimiras went on before anybody could speak. "The current leader of the army will command it during the campaign. I want daily reports of the operations and five quick ships traveling between Lithuania and Arendelle to bring them." He signaled one of his men who nodded and went downstairs to carry on the orders.

"Call our delegate in London, I want him in Arendelle as soon as possible with all the information he can gather about this issue." Another man departed from the group.

"Antanas, you will come with me. Don't frown, you will have plenty of time to fight in a battle, but this experience will be far more interesting. Go to say goodbye to your mother."

"I want to know more information about Queen Elsa of Arendelle." Vladimiras gazing at one of his men." Fetch people who can give us any information about her or her court."

"I have been told that she is a beauty. "

Vladimiras turned towards the man who had spoken. "Well I can't say that I'm completely indifferent to this issue." His men burst out laughing."But I'm not looking for beauty" He said and turned again to look the man who had been gazing before. "I'm looking for a Queen. I want information about her character and his capacities. From people who had told with her or had done business with her. I don't need to know how beautiful she is. Try among our ship captains and our traders." The man in front of the prince nodded and left.

"Steponas, you could speak french, isn't it?"

"Yes, but I don't like the french," Steponas hesitated for a moment. "nor any westerner."

"I'm the one who is going to be married. You will come with me. Fetch in the court everybody who can speak a foreign language. I will speak with them before we depart and decide who come with us." Steponas nodded and left the group.

The Prince sent his men to perform different tasks in order to leave Lithuania in two days. When the last of them had left it was dark and the servants had brought torches. The prince remained alone in the dim light looking thoughtful to the west until Steponas come upstairs.

"How are you? " The old man asked to the prince.

"What do you mean?"

"Come on! I have trained you since you were five years old and I know when you are worried, even when you wear your impassible face. So hard have been the conversation with your father?"

"Conversations with my father have been always..." He doubted for a second. "difficult." He concluded at last. "Before the death of my brothers we always have the option to just ignore each other. But now I'm the heir and our relations are even worse."

"Don't take that into account. He had become old and bitter and heavens knows he had good reasons. Did he told you why you have to marry that westerner girl?"

"I don't know, he gave me some unconvincing reasons. But at last he gave me a direct order."

"And what are you going to do?"

"Obey him, of course! He may be embittered, but he is still the king and my father."

Both men remained without speaking for a while, at last Steponas voice broke the silence. "Antanas' mother wants to talk with you. She looks very angry." The old man said to the prince.

"I'm taking Antanas away from her side. She is worried by the travel to Arendelle."

Steponas clicked his son, making a wry face. "I don't buy it. Anatas was supposed to go to war in a few days. His mother should be exultant. There is another reason."

Both men remained silent, looking at each other, the prince leaning on the battlements and his companion awaiting a reply in the staircase. Eventually Steponas looked around, checking that nobody was near them, and talked. "Why you don't tell the truth to your father."

"Because she is the wife if my elder brother."

"Your brother died long ago, and she is of a distinguished family."

"Her family defends the old traditions, and they oppose to open our country to the west. It was one of the reasons to marry her with my brother. If she was my Queen they would get a dangerous pre-eminence."

"The old traditions have served us well for centuries."

"I haven't got time to discuss it. I have a lot of things to do."

"Talking with her for instance?" Said Steponas with a broad and deformed smile on his face.

The Prince took a deep breath and went downstairs, followed by its comrade. When they reached the bottom of the staircase Steponas said. "Truth to be told, it seems to me that we have snow and ice enough in winter without having to bring here that westerner Snow Queen!"


	7. A Stroll through Arendelle

Anna and Kristoff were returning to Arendelle. Having her breakfast, Anna had had the disturbing feeling that that day would be the last ordinary day for a long while and had felt the necessity to go for a stroll with Kristoff, as they used to do. That same evening, both sisters were going to receive officially the delegations. When Anna's face was known by the newcomers, going out for a walk would have been impossible without attracting everyone's attention.

Anna had tried to convince Elsa to come with them. Elsa had shut herself in the castle the last two months working night and day. Going for a walk would have been good for her, but she was too busy dealing with the last details. Anna has suffered pangs of conscience, leaving Elsa alone in the castle, but she and Kristoff had worked as hard as Elsa, and it might be their last opportunity for a long while.

So, they had left the castle early in the morning and climbed the foothills of the mountains around Arendelle. From that high ground they had a good view of the castle and the village around. The terrains surrounding Arendelle were full with encampments, they have been raised to accommodate the retinues of the different delegations. For a moment Anna had the crazy idea that they looked as the encampments of an enemy army besieging the castle.

"Have you said plentypotentiaries?" Asked Kristoff.

Anna stopped daydreaming and centered her attention in the explanation she was doing to Kristoff. "Plenipotentiaries, the word is plenipotentiaries. They have the power to take decisions on their governments' behalf. That's the reason because they bring far more people in their retinues than the diplomats who came to the coronation a year ago. In the coronation day the representatives were common diplomats. But today we are going to receive the best and most powerful diplomats of the European powers. Elsa and..." She took a deep breath before concluding."...me."

" You are going to do well, I'm sure."

"I depend too much on Elsa. He had been trained by our parent in these issues. My training should have started when our parents returned from the voyage. Even Elsa's training was incomplete. We would have needed more time with them, a whole life in fact." She said the last words in a barely audible voice and remained silent her mind lost in the past.

Kristoff put her arm around Anna's shoulders. She smiled and leaned her head on Kristoff. "My father forecast that." She continued. "Elsa told me yesterday that he said that Arendelle is a very isolated place, and this is our protection. But sometimes this is not enough. From time to time great powers like England or France interfere in Arendelle's life, and you have to handle it as well as you can. We have been isolated until now, it's time to face the outside world."

Anna looked to the mountains around Arendelle, they were like the borders of a nest, a protecting barrier. But the protection had been broken and they should control the situation. She slipped gently from Kristtof embrace."We can go through Arendelle." She said with decision.

"It is full of people, somebody could recognize you and what for?" Kristoff replied surprised.

"I want to see how those newcomers treat our people. It 's my responsibility to take care of them. Regarding to be recognized, look at me." She took a step backwards and spread her arms smiling. "Do you think that anybody is going to recognize a princess under these clothes."

Kristoff took a long glance at Anna's clothes. They were of good quality but simple, truth to be told she looked like the daughter of a prosperous farmer or merchantman. It was difficult to discover a member of the royal family of Arendelle in that young woman of shining eyes. "What about the rosemaling?" Asked Kristoff signaling the lower border of his girlfriend dress.

She looked down and glanced to the edge of her long skirt trimmed with the embroidered small emblems of the crocus, the flower that was the official crest of Arendelle. They had the color and shape corresponding to a princess of Arendelle.

"Only a princess of Arendelle wear these patterns. Somebody could recognize who you are." Stated Kristoff.

"Even if they realize that I wear them, do you really believe that anyone of those newcomers would recognize the royal emblems of Arendelle?" Kristoff was going to reply but Anna turned on her heel and walked off slowly towards Arendelle. He shook his head and walked along the dirt track following Anna.

Anna and Kristoff make their way towards Arendelle through the imperial encampment. The place was deserted, only a few servants from the castle were finishing off the place.

"Is there any news about the imperial delegation?" Asked Kristoff.

"They should arrive during the morning. Kai is getting nervous by the minute. We can't start without them."

"Why are they so important."

"The Empire is the greatest power in Europe. From its Austruo-Hungarian core it controls the north of Italy, most of the Balkans, the lower Danube and the lands to the north of the black seas as far as the Crimean Peninsula. They are far away from Arendelle but anyway they should be the first delegation to be formally received. That's the reason because we have delayed three days the reception until they arrive. Poor Kai, he had been a month reading books about protocol, the imperial etiquette is rather complex."

"How is the imperial flag?"Asked Kristoff.

"Yellow, with a two-headed eagle."

"Then the empire has arrived." He signaled towards the mouth of the fjord where a great ship was entering. Both gazed the heavy and slow ship approaching to Arendelle.

"They put forward a..." Kristoff doubted for a second."...suitor for you."

"Yes. In fact, they propose two candidates, one for every one of us."

"How many candidates have come?"

"Ten for Elsa, twenty two for me."

"What a success, you will make your sister jealous. " Joked Kristoff joyless.

"It's easier to fit the conditions to marry a princess than to marry a queen. It's a question of protocol."

"There isn't too much space for love."

"No, there isn't."

While talking, they have been moving through the campsite and went out reaching a little stream which was placed between the empty place and its adjacent encampment. The Lithuanians have already occupied it and the place was humming with activity while the newcomers established themselves in their new home in the days to come.

Strange words in a foreign language filled the air while the men clad in light green uniforms moved the baggage inside the tents. In a field by the path two bare chested men were practicing sword fighting. One of them was a bald man with a ugly scar over his face, the other was tall as a fully grown man. But when Anna approached them, she realized that he was a teenager taller than many adults.

They were discussing in their own language while fighting. The boy looked angry with the bald man, and his opponent seemed to mock at him. The tone of their voice was so hard that it was difficult to say if they were training or in a real fight. Anna feels uncomfortable, the soldiers clad in light green and those men fighting didn't look as a diplomatic delegation but much more like an invading army.

They left the Lithuanians behind and arrived to Arendelle. It was amazing. The village was full of people of the different delegations, some were civilians dressed in common clothes, but a lot of them were soldiers clad in their full-dress uniforms. A mixture of colors and distinctions from all Europe was crammed into the narrows streets of Arendelle.

For Kristoff, raised among the trolls in the wilderness, Arendelle used to be a crowned place. In that moment, it was just unimaginable. Servants moving baggage, soldiers and sailors looking for a place to drink, attendants bringing messages and the people of Arendelle trying to take care of their affairs.

When they passed the best inn in the town, Anna realized that a young man was standing in the middle of the street with a confused gaze in his eyes, looking around him as if he was seeking help. He had a childish expression in his face, and was obviously afraid. Ana was about to help him, when a tall man with long black air, clad in a dark green uniform approached and take him by the arm. The presence of the tall man seemed to reassure the young man.

"Poor man." Said Anna to Kristoff. "What is he doing in Arendelle?"

"Maybe he had come with one of the delegations." Replied Kristoff.

"I suppose he must be a relative of one of the candidates. But I thought that it's unwise to travel with a man in that condition." Concluded Anna and kept on walking towards the long pier where the reception of the imperials was planned.

When Anna and Kristoff reached the pier a boat from the imperial brigantine was approaching. Anna saw Kai, waiting for the imperials in the harbor. Even from that distance, Anna could see that he was tense. Looking at Kai, Anna noticed a man over the long pier. He wore black hussar uniform and walked towards the boat as if he was going to run through a brick wall.

"Good morning Kai." Said Anna Approaching to the seneschal.

"Good Morning princess Anna!" Said Kai surprised to see Anna there.

"How are you doing with the imperials?" Asked the princess.

"Well I have gone to their ship in order to make the first contact, and they have received me with a complaint." Kai's voice sounded worried.

"So soon?" Anna couldn't help an expression of amused surprise.

"Yes, When I explained the situation of the imperial encampment they told me that they don't want the Lithuanian as neighbors."

"But, they are their allies. What's the problem."

"Well they have been at war with the Lithuanians during ten years before they signed a treaty two years ago."

"But we told about that when we distributed the encampments and it is supposed that the treaty has preference."

"Yes but ..."

"I think that we should leave the harbor. Kai can handle the Imperials on his own. We would be only of nuisance value." Interrupted Kristoff nodding towards the boat from the brigantine that was about to reach the pier.

"You are right."Replied Anna, and saying goodbye to Kai turned around to leave the harbor. She took a last look at the pier and saw the black figure at the end of it waiting for the boat hands on hips. In that moment the sound of the cannons broke the calm of the fiord. All the people in the harbor left their work and looked in astonishment towards the origin of the sound. The English frigate, anchored at the far end of the fiord had fired a salute for the imperials with its cannons.

Anna gave at the frigate a last glance, and left the harbor with Kristoff at her side through the streets of Arendelle, heading towards the castle. While crossing the main square Anna saw that under the great canopy of the market a great table had been placed and a lot of people was around it. Some were seated, others were standing, but all were drinking, laughing and talking very loud in different languages. At the head of the table was a fat man dressed in hussar uniform with his bandaged right foot resting over a small stool. Looking at him Anna realized that all the people around the table wore hussar uniform, or an equivalent light cavalry unit uniform, but for two men next to the head of the table.

The one at the right was a colonel of the British infantry with his red and white uniform. He had a face round as a moon and hair as red as his uniform. The other on the left was a tall man with black air and colorless eyes who was dressed in civilian clothing. The other people around the table wore the typical Hussar uniform, tight trousers and jackets. Knee-high boots and the pelisse, a short fur lined jacket, hanging loose over the left shoulder.

The daughter of the innkeeper, a young girl no older than eighteen, whose name was Ida, came with more wine and beer for the table. The men at the table received her with cheers and shouts of approval. While the young waitress was pouring the drinks, some of the seated soldiers started to joke in different languages. The young girl couldn't understand a word, but it was obvious that she was getting nervous.

A Bavarian hussar, clad in a red uniform, raised from the table and talked in German. "Young lady please, sit and drink a toast to the beautiful Queen and princess of Arendelle." The girl blushed to the roots of her air and tried to go around the Bavarian.

"You lack the appropriate touch, my friend." Said in French an hussar with a dark green uniform with yellow braids in the chest.

"Talk her in French!" Said another French hussar, clad in a light gray uniform and red boots next to the first."So we can appreciate your skill and she won't understand a word, whatever you say."

"A burst of laughter from the table accompanied such words." The girl stepped back, but she bumped into a young lieutenant of the British light dragoons, he wore a light blue uniform with the sleeves and trousers heavy embroidered with white patterns, who was standing behind her.

"Let's try in English." Said in that language in a cheerful mood." Please young lady, make us the honor of sitting with us."

The waitress looked around for a way to scape. She was obviously frightened, but roars of laughter and joyful expressions cheered the dragoon's words.

"Let's try making gestures" Said in french the former Bavarian hussar to all the people around the table. They greeted those words banging on the table and giving him advice on the more useful or funny gestures. The hussar turned back to face the waitress, but he was surprised to see a young red headed lady, barely older than the waitress interposing herself between them. While Anna moved to face the hussar, she put a hand over Ida's shoulder and gently pushed the frightened girl away.

The princess gazed at the hussar with calm but fierce eyes. "Leave us Ida." She said without looking at the young girl. The daughter of the innkeeper nodded and ran away towards her father who, realizing that something was wrong, had left the inn and was coming.

The English light dragoon behind them was so surprised that he even didn't try to stop Ida's.

"What a surprise!" Said the Bavarian hussar smiling. "Were you jealous of your friend? " He talked in French to be sure that everybody will understand him.

"I suppose you pride yourself on mocking at a young girl who don't even understand you." Calmly said Anna in French giving him a displeased look.

The Bavarian was taken aback, although he quickly replied. "Wow! I have found a pearl! If I am able to understand what the girl says, everything becomes much easier." But the tone in his voice was dubious, something was escaping his notice and that fact bothered him. Anyway the people around the table encouraged him.

"Then let me rephrase that. You are so afraid of women that you need twelve friends to be brave enough to talk one of them, even if she can't understand you?" Anna retorted his question to mock the proud hussar.

Everybody around the table laughed, but the Bavarian hussar. He was hesitating when a hand fell over his shoulder. The man with the colorless eyes have moved from the head of the table and was at his side. "She is a princess of Arendelle, stupid!" The man said in German to the hussar.

The Bavarian turned pale and tried to say something, but when Anna heard those words, she turned around to leave the canopy. The English, who didn't speak German, hadn't understood the warning, and tried to block her path. But the young princess gave him a furious look. "Get out of my way!" She ordered in English. The light dragon stepped back, something in Anna's tone and the expression of the Bavarian caused him worry.

Kristoff, who had been watching all the time ready to intervene, took him by the arm, and pushed her out of the square. "What did that man say." He didn't speak any language but Norwegian, so he hadn't understand the conversation. But he had realized that the last warning from the civilian had surprised Anna.

"He had recognized me! He said that I was an Arendelle princess! How has he been able to..." Anna asked surprised.

"Anna, It was easy." Said Kristoff calmly. "You have talked in their own language and you have confronted them. You have attracted their attention and one of them knows about the livery of Arendelle."

"I can hardly believe that he knows enough about the royal protocol."

"You said that they were the best diplomats in Europe. I suppose that they aren't common people, and therefore common assumptions aren't enough, dealing with them."

Anna thought for a while and, suddenly her eyes widened. "Kristoff, have I done what I have done?"

"Are you talking about face alone twelve soldiers that you and your sister will receive this evening in the official delegations." Replied Kristoff, smiling.

"Elsa will kill me!" Exclaimed Anna.

"Don't worry. Everybody but the man in red seems to be having a good time. What language were you talking with them?"

"French." Replied Anna. "and English."

"And how do you speak those languages?"

"Foreign Languages were part of our education. We have to learn French because it is the language of the diplomacy. Everybody in the conference will speak French, other languages will be used only if both speakers are more comfortable with them."

"And what about the English?"

"Well I liked to study languages. I thought that they were part of remote lands that someday I would visit in Elsa's name. So I studied also English and German."

"And Elsa?"

"She disliked to learn languages. The French was enough for her, but She speaks it as if it was her mother tongue. I have a strong Norwegian accent instead."

They had been walking towards the castle while talking and eventually reached the bridge to the castle gates. Both remained silent while entering in the bridge guarded by two guards of Arendelle.

When they were away from the soldiers Kristoff said. "I wish I could be more useful."

"What do you mean?"

"All this situation, the plenipotentiaries, the languages...I'm good moving in the wilderness, but my skills are useless in this situation."

"Oh, come on! You were useful enough in the expedition to the inner valleys!" Anna waited for further comments. Since they had started to prepare for the conference, she had a feeling that Kristoff tried to say something to her.

"Kristoff, do you want to tell me something else?" She asked at last.

"Ehhhhh... No." The mountain man was behaving in a strange way, but who was behaving as usual?

"I need you at my side. I need your common sense to avoid doing silly things." She said in a sweet tone of voice.

"Things like facing a bunch of Hussars alone?" Replied Kristoff smiling at last.

"Yes, your common sense will be necessary. I have the feeling that there won't be too much common sense in Arendelle in the days to come." She said looking at the encampments around the village. Both smiled to each other, but their smiles had a bit of sadness.

On the main square of Arendelle Otto took a last look towards Anna and returned at his uncle's side. "According to the ornaments in her dress, she is a princess of Arendelle."

"Anna I suppose, since there is no other princess. You were wrong interrupting them. I wanted to know what she's made of." Replied the old hussar. Both were talking in German.

"Have you recognized her?" Asked Otto, surprised.

"You haven't been the only one to read the book about Norwegian Royal livery that Lord Halkett had in his library."

"So she was the princess of Arendelle." Interrupted Collin Hakket also talking in German. "She is a bold girl, that's for sure. She had preferred to face the hussars herself instead of calling the guards."

"It is a pity that Otto interfered" Said Friedrich von Schrader."I wanted to know if she was able to handle the situation without calling the guards or showing herself as princess of Arendelle."

"Didn't you fear the reaction of the Bavarian?" Replied Otto.

"In front of half Arendelle?" The count laughed." He wasn't drunk enough. She has never been in real danger. Otto, In this kind of issues, you have to fear what a soldier can do when nobody see them instead of when everybody is watching."

"Who was that girl?" Interrupted in English the voice of Alan Halkett. He and Kurt had joined the group after looking the last part of the confrontation between Anna and the hussar from an adjacent street. Allan was looking with an astonished gaze towards the point where Anna and Kristoff had left the square.


	8. View from the Castle

Elsa was on his way toward the great tower in the northwest corner of the castle. She had reached the middle of the courtyard when a childish voice called her.

"Queen Elsa, Queen Elsa!"

The Queen turned around to find Kjersti, Kay's niece. Since the opening of the gates, a year before, the eight years old girl had been a constant presence in the castle and one of the few inhabitants of Arendelle who dare to talk without the slightest hesitation with the Queen, although the constant rebukes from her parents and grandfather.

"Queen Elsa,Queen Elsa. We would like so much to skate! Can we, can we?" Said the little girl smiling. Her mouth had a lot of missing teeth due to the combination of the normal teeth falling at her age, and multiple accidents caused by a strong tendency to move before thinking. She was short for his age and his hazel hair was so unkempt that it was difficult to believe that early in the morning it has been combed by her mother and put in two beautiful pigtails.

A mischievous smile appeared on Elsa's face while she leaned in to talk with his young petitioner. "We? I don't see anybody but you."

The girl signaled to a distant corner of the courtyard, a group of children was hidden behind a wagon full of hay. "They fear to talk with the Snow Queen." Kjersti grimaced contemptuously.

Elsa raised her eyebrows. "I see, well I hope that in the next occasion one or two of them will be brave enough to come with you. The ice will last only for two hours, then it will melt in order to be dry this evening."

"Yes, yes, yes" Said Kjersti giving little jumps of joy while trying to catch the fluttering cloak of Elsa which was moved by the slight breeze, reflecting the light of the summer sun.

Elsa straightens up and waved her right hand, a jet of ice sprang, crossed the courtyard and hit on the floor. A thin sheet of ice covered a section of the courtyard and all the children went cheering to play over it.

Elsa turned around and went upstairs until she reached the top floor of the tower. The childish cries of joy from the courtyard made her smile, but when she saw the fiord crowded with the ships of the different delegations her smile faded.

The great imperial brigantine was entering in the fiord as Gerda had told. It was the greatest ship in the fiord, but also slow and clumsy. Suddenly the English frigate fired a salute for the Imperials.

Elsa saw all the people in the castle startled by the sound of the cannons, even the royal guards. "They don't lose any opportunity to show us their cannons." Elsa frowned, looking towards the ship surrounded by the smoke from the gunpowder. "It would be so easy to sink it. It's just a matter of accumulating ice on one side of the ship until it gets off balance and turns over. It shouldn't be done too quickly, so the crew could flee the ship." Elsa took a deep breath and opened her clenched hands."It would be easy but useless. Ice won't feed our people and England had more frigates and cannons."

Two men came up from the courtyard, the first wore the Arendelle guard's uniform. He was tall, but gaunt and his uniform seemed half filled by his lean body. The face was bony and the blue eyes, half hidden in the deep eye sockets, had a stark gaze. The pale blonde hair was trimmed short as he didn't accept any type of exuberance. He was the captain of the Arendelle guard, sole responsible for the security of the castle and the royal family and also of the conference that was going to put under his protection princes and magnates from the great European countries.

The other man, who was in his late fifties, wore civilian clothes in the style of the Empire. In his right hand, he brought a cane, since he was lame in the right foot. The man's face, weather-beaten by uncountable days under the sun and rain, was as inexpressive as a leather mask, but the bright eyes were sharp and inquisitive. His white hair was tied in a short and neat ponytail.

"Hello Rolf." Said Elsa to the captain."How are things going?"

Rolf bowed his head. "Fine, Queen Elsa, but some difficulties had arisen."

"What kind of difficulties."

"Well, sometimes is difficult to handle people who hold properties greater that the entire kingdom of Arendelle. They are especially sensitive to any possible lack of respect, real or imagined, from our guards when they try to intercede in a quarrel. My men have been instructed to be tactful, but it's hard to be patient."

Elsa smiled. "Be as gently as possible, but the people of Arendelle should be protected from them. They are powerful men in their countries, and may have different ways to treat the common people. Anyway you should ensure that they are gentle in their interactions with the inhabitants of Arendelle. Kai will handle any problem with the protocol if needed. What is the motive for these quarrels?"

"The discussions are about prices and things that become scarce due to the increase in demand. But the more usual and sensitive are about women."

"Women?" Asked Elsa barely suppressing a smile.

"Yes, there are a lot of young soldiers and they..." Rolf thought for a second about the correct words to use. " ...show a great interest for the young women of Arendelle."

"I see, anyway you should maintain them at bay."

"Yes but sometimes it is pretty difficult to know if the girl wants to be helped" The commander of the guard said those words slowly like thinking about every word he was saying. "In the parents' sake, I have established, as a rule of thumb, to be overprotective. I have to say that our guards are surprisingly willing to do that."

Elsa can't help smiling at that words. "I trust in your judgement."

"And is this the most usual problem?" Asked the other man in surprise.

"Corrado, you know how the young women are! If they find a pair of intense dark eyes with a flamboyant and colorful uniform, they throw the caution to the wind." Said Rolf to the old man, forgetting where he was.

"Really?" Asked Elsa, raising her eyebrows.

"Er, I Mean..." Said the soldier suddenly aware that his Queen was twenty two years old.

Elsa couldn't help the right corner of her mouth quirking upward for a second like a smile she was trying to disguise. "Continue please, I'm very interested." She asked with an obviously feigned innocence.

"I think you already have the list of the chambers distribution from Kai." Interrupted Corrado.

"Yes, Kai was busy with the Imperials and told me to bring it to you." Said Rolf, quickly producing a piece of paper from his pockets, with a grateful gaze at Corrado.

Elsa took a quick view over the list and made a few comments regarding the distribution of the chambers and also settled the last pending issues for the evening reception. Eventually she dismissed Rolf and turned her attention to his friend.

The Queen was concerned about Corrado because he was an imperial engineer. Elsa had trusted him due to his stark honesty and to the fact that the empire was far away, and it was unlikely to interfere in Arendelle. But eventually, much to everybody's surprise, the empire had come. Now Elsa's most delicate affairs were in the hands of a man whose loyalty might be bound to the Empire.

"Corrado." Elsa spoke always French with him since the man hadn't the slightest idea of Norwegian. "We have talked before about that, but today is your last opportunity to leave Arendelle. The empire has arrived if you feel that working for me is incompatible with your oaths to the empire, now is the moment to depart without ill feelings. But If you stay in Arendelle I will need complete obedience and loyalty."

"Queen Elsa, as you have said, we have talked about that before and I haven't changed my mind. I will remain at your service. I have been born in Italy, under the rule of the Empire, and I have served in its army as an engineer, but I haven't any bond or loyalty to it." Replied him in fluid French but with a strong Italian accent.

"Well" Said Elsa, pushing aside a wisp of her bangs as if she was also pushing aside her worries about Corrado. "Then you will start to download it this evening when the celebrations, after the official reception, started. Needless to say that it should be done in great secrecy. Arendelle will be in a difficult situation if any of the delegations get the slightest idea about it."

"My Queen, I'm fully aware of what is at stake. The entire negotiations will be suspended and nobody could predict the English reaction. I have fenced in the new harbor entirely and the guards have been instructed to maintain the people away for their own safety's sake." The engineer smiled faintly before adding. "A harbor under construction is a dangerous place."

"Good." Said Elsa. "Nobody will enter in the new harbor without my permission or Anna's."

"What are you saying about me?" Said Anna who was coming up the stairway. "I have been told that I would find you here." She said to Elsa

"Hello Anna, How was your stroll?" Said Elsa, beaming at her sister."I have seen that you crossed through Arendelle."

"Yes, it has been ... interesting." Anna turned towards the old engineer. "Tell me Corrado, all the hussars are so aggressive."

"The hussars are supposed to be aggressive and intelligent. A lot of people say, specially the hussars themselves, that if they weren't aggressive then they wouldn't be good hussars. I'm sorry to say that although most hussars are aggressive, the last condition wasn't so universally fulfilled."

"Have you had any problem with them." Asked Elsa .

"Nothing at all." Replied Anna seating over the battlements and looking to the fiord with sudden interest. "Do you have any news of the French?"

"Corrado" Said Elsa, looking at the old man. "May you left us alone? Please." The imperial vowed and went downwards the staircase, leaving both sisters alone.

"Why you don't trust him." Asked Anna.

"I trust him, but the lesser he knows the better. He will know only what he needs to know. And, answering your previous question, the French delegate, after two days delaying the answer, has replied that the meeting I proposed would be a breach in the protocol.

"But it should be a private meeting between you and him!"

"Yes, and if something isn't public it cannot be a breach in the protocol. His rejection is just a polite way of getting rid of me."

"Just like the English."

"Yes, just like the English and his health problems that didn't allow him to leave the frigate. They don't want even talk to us."

"What about talking with the other candidates, maybe you can get something from them."

"It will be useless. Everybody is waiting to see what England and France decide, trying to influence them. The only one who can have his own opinion is the Empire, but they are far less important that the other two."

"Talking about it, Kay says that the Empire has complained about the position of their camp."

"Complained? Why?"

"It seems they dislike their neighbors the Lithuanians."

"I don't understand." Elsa looked puzzled."They are their allies. They have signed a military alliance against the Tartars."

"Yes, but they were ten years at war not long ago. Why we can't just move the Lithuanians."

"Because then the offended will be the Lithuanians. Let's let Kai handle this Issue."

Both sisters looked for a while how the imperial delegation started to get off from the brigantine.

"Elsa?"

"Yes Anna."

"What are we going yo do if neither the English nor the French want to negotiate with us?"

"Don't worry Anna, sooner or later they will talk with us." Elsa said the last words with confidence, but Anna had learned enough about her sister in the last year to see the cracks in her mask.

Anna didn't comment on Elsa's words, instead she turned his head towards the castle. The beams of the July sun gleamed over the ice covers of the castle roofs and the complex ice structures that decorated the wooden constructions. "It is really wonderful, from the hills I had a better view and it was impressive."

"I hope they have also good views from the ships." Added Elsa. The roofs of the castle were covered with graceful ice structures, great sections of the courtyard were covered by vaults from which hanged great chandeliers. All made of ice, as the two octagonal towers at each side of the castle with great ice pillars which dived into the waters of the fiord to provide support enough for the great weight over the castle. It looked like a second transparent castle over the real castle.

"It mimics the Upper Belvedere in Vienna. Since the Empire is the first delegation to be received I thought that it would be appropriate to start with them." Finished the Queen.

"Are you going to change it every day as you told me?"

"Yes I have been looking all the books about foreign architecture that we have in the library. They have to see great pomp, and I think this will work."

"Won't it thaw? We are in summer."

"It will stand until I thaw it." Replied Elsa with confidence.

"All the other celebrations are ready?"Asked Anna.

"Yes. From now on, we are going to have a ball every day. Out of the castle a party will be celebrated for all the retainers and inhabitants of Arendelle."

"It will be really expensive." Said Anna smiling.

"If you think that this is exaggerated wait to see my outfit for tonight." Said Elsa with a sly smile."They have come to get the wealth of Arendelle, and wealth is what they are going to see. We need it to cover Corrado's maneuver." She was calm, but Anna could tell she was also tense.

Anna looked at her sister, Elsa had been working all day and the evening would be hard. It was going to be the culmination of long months of hard work and strain. "You must take a break before the reception." She said to her older sister

"We have talked about it this morning. I have a lot of things to do before the reception." Replied Elsa.

"How about a chess game? The gardens are ready for the reception and they look beautiful under the ice roofs."

Elsa was going to reply, but she hesitated, gazing at her sister." You are a stinker" She said, giving a knowing smile at Anna."

Anna smiled back, being beaten at chess by Elsa was an acceptable price."I get the chess set, but I'll be white." She said, strolling up to the stairs.

Meanwhile, Corrado met Rolf in the courtyard. "You are really generous to put yourself so up, the queen can relax herself shooting you down." Said the Italian.

"Come on! It isn't easy to explain a young queen the behavior of the soldiers regarding women. With her father everything would have been easier. How I miss him!" Rolf had been companion of the last King. In fact, they have been close friends, and the captain of the guard should have been in the ship that brought his friend and her wife to their tragic end. A sudden bout of fever had retained him in Arendelle; though having saved his life, it had left an illogical but intense sense of failure on him.

"She is could understand anything." Stated Corrado with a tone of voice that suggested that anybody in disagreement would be a poor fool.

"The problem isn't her intelligence, it's her.." Rolf thought for a second."...female condition."

"She hardly can change that, so it is better you get used to explain certain things to her."

Rolf snorted in disgust. "What about you. Has she again suggested that you should leave her service?"

"Yes, it's the third time! I start to believe she wants to get rid of me."

"The Queen fears that you paint yourself into a corner. She cannot help caring. It's a consequence of her female condition." He tilted his head to one side and raised his eyebrows." And she can hardly change it."


	9. The imperial reception

Author's note:

Hi everybody,

At last, we have reached Arendelle! When I started to plan "Two brides in Arendelle" I decided to use five introductory chapters to explain a rather complex political situation and, of course, the main characters in the conference to be held in Arendelle. While I write them, they look quite interesting, but all together, once uploaded, seems a large introduction. I hope it hasn't been too long.

Once in Arendelle, the first two chapters describe the situation from Arendelle's point of view and provide a glimpse of Anna and Elsa's personality. They are, hopefully, the same people who you see in the film, but their abilities as Queen and Princess have been a little bit more developed.

I'm very interested in your opinion. What do you think of the history? Do you like the characters? Do you like the history or you read it because your television is broken and you can't get money enough to fix it. Don't worry about being too critical. I'm writing this in order to learn so criticism is welcomed. If you would be so kind to send me your feedback, I would be very grateful.

And a last point, English is not my first language. In fact, it is the third. So I'm sorry for any error I may have done.

Well, I leave you with the imperial reception. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to describe all the receptions. This is the only one to be described. In a certain way is the real introduction of the Empire. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Ladislas was about to loose his temper. After two weeks of travel with constant discussions and confrontations they were about to meet the Queen of Arendelle and everybody was creating problems from petty details.

"Don't comment that on the reception." He said to Adrian, duke of Simonyi. "We can complain about the encampment position through official channels, but our interest now is to show our gentlest side."

"So worried are you for the opinion of those girls?" Said the duke with disdain in his eyes.

"I should agree with the imperial delegate. We are in English and French territory, everything we do and say will be reported to them. If we want to make agreements with them we must be tactful." The person who was talking was a short and tanned man in his late forties. "If we made trouble about such a petty issue, they will have a poor opinion of us."

"You see. Berganza agree." A soon as Ladislas said those words, something in Adrian's expression told him that how many people hold an opinion didn't have the slightest importance for him. Specially if one of them was Berganza. "Let's calm down. The reception is about to start." Saying that, Ladislas left them and took a look around the waiting room where the imperial delegation waited to be received. He was looking for somebody who can talk about something different than a quarrel.

In a side of the waiting room, away from Italians and Austro-Hungrian a figure clad in black was concentrated examining one of the pictures hanging on the wall. Ladislas went quickly at his side before anybody could stop him.

"Hello Erick, so interesting is the picture? "

"Eh! Hello Ladislas!" Said Erick turning his head from the picture. The young hussar smiled but he had a wary eye on the Imperial dignitary. "The Italians thought that I'm in Adrian's side, and the austro-hungarians know that I'm not with Adrian. So both ignore me. Truth to be told, I 'm very happy with that situation. The atmosphere is a bit strained." Erick wryly smiled, telling that.

They shook hands. "A long time from the last time I saw you in London..." Erick was saying, when he noticed the presence of von Leep, clad in his white uniform of guard cuirasser looking at her, in the ranks of the imperial delegation.

Ladislas realized the change in Erick's expression and turned to see the reason.

"He hates you." Explained Ladislas, seeing the cuirasser's resentful expression.

"Why? I didn't do him a wrong."

"After returning from the plains without you, he fell from your brother's favor. So interesing is the life in the plains that you needed to do a final trip throuht them?"

"It is intense, as I suppose your life should be if you have to deal with my brother."

Ladislas sighed. "This is not a delegation, it' s a nightmare. Your brother and Berganza hate one to each other and they are always looking for the best position to stab in the back each other. I'm the leader of the delegation, but both of them are Great Dukes, and I'm just a count. So it's difficult to handle them. And diplomacy is not the strong point of your brother, isn't it.?

"He is an Hungarian landlord. Diplomacy is not one of their abilities, and Adrian is considered tactless even by the other Hungarian landlords. He expect that people will just obey him. Keep this in mind when you deal with him and everything will be easier."

"Now he is trying to move the Lithuanian encampment just to keep himself amused, and it may cause useless troubles with Arendelle."

"He hates the Lithuanians, since he commanded the imperial army in the plains. But I suppose he wants to show that he can force Arendelle to do whatever he wants, just because he is an imperial Great Duke. He is used to start a negotiation in this way. It's like a dog marking its territory."

"And Berganza is always looking for an opportunity to profit. The empire is going to give a sad image of itself."

"But why the empire has been involved in this issue. The empire isn't the slightest bit interested in who controls Arendelle. It is too far away even for us. "

"And it was the position of the Empire. It was planned to send a formal representation just to keep an eye over Prussia and Bavaria. I was assigned to lead it since I was the nearest diplomat, but your brother left no stone unturned to persuade the Emperor to give support to his claim to Queen Elsa's hand."

"Why? Arendelle is wealthy but far less important that his dukedom."

"You are right. Maybe he want's the title of King. When the Emperor gave in and made an official claim, Berganza moved his contacts to be included in the delegation"

"Who is Berganza? He seems Italian but Berganza doesn't sound like an Italian forename."

"His family was from Spain but they established themselves in Milan long ago. He have been fought to death with your brother the last five years and he didn't let pass the opportunity to middle in his affairs. In fact, they have been quarreling all the travel, and you are the reason."

"Me?" Asked Erick in surprise.

"Yes, your brother was stupid enough to claim for the Queen and the princess. I told him that it was useless. The English will never accept both girls married with people of the same country. They want to avoid Arendelle being controlled by the French. If they got married with people from the same country the French might control that country and Arendelle would be in their hands. I tried to explain to your brother that lean on too much in your claim for Anna's hand would decrease his own possibilities regarding Queen Elsa. I hope you don't take offence at it. It was my duty."

"Don't worry. In fact I'm not going to marry princess Anna."

"Now both are quarreling to... wait a moment! What have you said?"

"I'm not going to marry princess Anna, two years ago I decided that l will never accept anything from my brother, and that includes the hand of a princess."

"Are you kidding? I know you had differences with you brother but..."

"He court-martialed me."

"You argued about his orders in the general staff meeting of the imperial army of the Plains."

"I only expressed my disagreement with her orders. The officers are supposed to have our own ideas."

"A captain is not supposed to quarrel with the commander of the army, although he was his brother. Adrian couldn't left the place to the Lithuanians, it would have been their foothold in the Black sea."

"Destroying the shipyards and the harbor would have been enough to left it useless for more than a year. The order was stupid and we destroy an entire town due to it."

"It was a petty town in the middle of nowhere. Who cares for it?"

"They were under imperial protection, we were supposed to protect them not to burn their homes, let alone that we endured six months of siege into it and previously spent three years fighting to consolidate our control of the region around."

"You haven't change from London, when you was the worst diplomat I have ever seen."

"If you tell it, I will take it as a compliment."

Both men looked at each other in an strained silence.

"Do you know what it means to be married with a princess of Arendelle?" Said Ladislas in a conciliatory manner.

"I have thought about it while traveling. I am happy in the plains I don't need Arendelle."

"If you want to remain in the army, being prince of Arendelle would mean a great support for your career."

"At what price? If Adrian is behind it I will depend on him. I'm sure that I will pay tenfold anything I get from him. I prefer to leave Arendelle as soon as possible and return with my regiment."

"If you have any. Have you thought what your brother can harm your career in the army? He is friend of the owner of your regiment. You could be dismissed."

Erick shrug his shoulders.

"Berganza have been trying to replace you by one of his man, a count from Verona. Your brother has avoided that because your are the logical option being half Norwegian but if you decline then the Veronese count will be the candidate for Anna. He will never forgive you"

"I wish them the best. I will send them a copy of 'Romeo and Juliette' from William Shakespeare as wedding gift."

"Don't get smart. " Ladislas closed his eyes for a while. "Do you know why your brother chose you?"

"I don't have the slightest idea. Maybe because I'm half Norwegian."

"No!. When he obtained he permission to start this silly adventure from the emperor himself, our beloved emperor remembered your existence."

"Do the emperor know about me?"

"He leaned on the old duke to force him to adopt you when your father died ten years ago. But don't take pride on that. House Simonyi is an old house and one of the few to have an Italian branch. Anything binding Italy to the Empire is important."

"Anybody had told him that I haven't been in Italy since they adopted me?"

"He wanted something symbolic, reality isn't a priority." Replied the diplomat with a wry smile. "Returning to the Arendelle conference, when the old emperor give his permission, he remembered you and suggested that both branches of house Simonyi claiming the sisters from Arendelle would be great."

"I see diplomatic reality isn't a priority."

Ladislas laughed joyless. "That's for sure. So, Adrian had a bad time calling you. Nobody can ignore an imperial suggestion." Ladislas looked at Erick as suggesting that he also couldn't.

Erick gazed at Ladislas but remain silent.

"If your claim to princess Anna doesn't come from Adrian but from the emperor, why don't you accept it?" Erick was going to reply but was stopped by a gesture. "Prince of Arendelle, think about it. You could take up again your diplomatic career, and we can forget this nonsense about changing our candidates."

Erick gazed his old comrade for a long while. "I think you were right." He said at last.

"Great!" Replied Ladislas? "Now we can forget this no sense..."

"I was a bad diplomat. It's useless to resume my career."

Ladislas' jaw clenched. "You aren't stupid. I don't understand why you behave as one. But if you aren't going to change your mind, please stay behind and don't stand out during the reception. I had told them to don't introduce you until we were sure about who is going to be Anna's candidate. It is embarrassing enough changing one candidate with the negotiations already started. It is better not to look like fools, centering too much attention on you." The voice of the red-haired diplomat was cold as ice.

"In fact, if you give me the order, I will mount my horse and leave Arendelle in an hour."

"I can't. As you have said, you have an imperial command to stay here until the army representative in Arendelle, your brother, gives you permission to leave. Ask him. After you told him that you are not going to marry princess Anna, I'm sure he will be in his best mood." Replied Ladislas with a feigned warm smile crossing his face.

Suddenly the doors of the main hall opened and the guards invited them to enter. Ladislas took his place at the head of the delegation with Adrian at his right and Berganza at his left. Some members of the delegation looked at Erick doubting about the position he had to take. But Erick placed himself in the rear ranks. If Adrian noticed this breach in the etiquette he couldn't tell.

The main hall was lavishly decorated. Banners with the crocus of Arendelle and the snowflake hanged on the walls. A line of Arendelle guards clad in his dark green uniform stands before each wall. At the back of the room, Kai awaited them by the throne of Arendelle on a dais.

When all the imperials were placed in the place corresponding to their ranks, Kai stepped forward and announced in a loud voice. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

Elsa appeared walking slowly to add solemnity to her apperance. She felt all the gazes of the presents over her, and forced herself not to look to the imperials. Instead she fixed her eyes over the friendly figure of Kai by the throne. The Queen wore an ice dress in imperial style covered with tiny ice crystals, floor length flared skirt, tight bodice, bare arms and high shoulder pads. The color of the ice changed from blue to white depending of the light, so Elsa's figure was covered by glimmering blue shadows that moved at the rhythm of her pace. Snowflakes on her hair reflected the light adding majesty to her blonde hair. Her transparent ice cloak hanged gracefully from her shoulders sweeping the floor.

Everybody in the hall hold their breath. They were in front of the Snow Queen at last, all the histories they had heard the last year about the winter unleashed over Arendelle, all the descriptions of her outstanding beauty, all the comments and suppositions during the travel to Arendelle, the vision of the castle covered in wonderful figures of ice in the middle of the summer when entering in the fiord in the morning. Everybody was thinking about all those things, adding an strange sense of wonder to the moment.

Elsa reached the throne and sat down. Then she took a look around the room, gazing at the imperials who arrogantly stand in front of her.

"Anna princess of Arendelle." Announced Kai when Elsa was in the throne.

Anna followed her sister, but she can't avoid looking to the imperials. She remembered the coronation ceremony a year ago. Everything had been so different then, the guests were a few friendly diplomats and the ceremony was a reason for joy. Now imperial soldiers in colored and flamboyant uniforms expected to get their prize. And the prize was Elsa and Anna!

Anna reached the throne and stood at the right of her sister. A year ago they were strangers to each other, now at least they were close again. She cast a sidelong lance at her left, Kristoff was there by Rolf. Clad in the dress uniform of the royal family of Arendelle. Black jacket, a red sash and grey trousers with a lighter grey stripe on each side. Anna looked also for Olaf, until she remembered that Elsa had sent the snowman to the ice palace in the North Mountain. Elsa had been right to hold him apart of Arendelle, but Anna can't help missing the playful snowman an his endless optimism.

A tall man clad in a red hussar uniform stepped forward and made an elaborate wave with his left arm, the right sleeve of his jacket hanged empty. He had an bold gaze and his hair was as red as his uniform. "Ladislas Kosztkapapp, imperial delegate." Announced Kai. The man at his right stepped forward. "Adrian duke of Simonyi." The duke was a tall and heavily-built man in his middle forties. Sandy hair and a square face with an aquiline nose. "Niccolo Berganza, duke of Milan." Concluded Kai about the man at the left. The Italian was a short man with dark skin, black hair, and penetrating gaze. All bowed, being introduced.

"I hope you had a pleasant voyage."

"The travel have been good enough, but we had a problem at our arrival. Have you taken into account our complains about the encampment." Said sharply the duke Adrian.

Kai was going to reply but Elsa stopped him with a wave of her hand. "Please may you be so gently to clarify your reasons to dislike your encampment. My own seneschal checked that it was well placed, provided with water and big enough for your large retinue"

"The problem is not the encampment but the neighborgs."

"The neighborgs?" Asked Elsa with innocent expression.

"Yes the Lituanians."

"I am sorry but I don't understand. You are in peace with them. You have even signed a military alliance against the tartars with them. They should be the perfect neigborgs for you." While talking, Elsa observed the reactions of the other imperials, but Ladislas and Berganza remained impassive.

"You don't understand, we were at war with them a few years ago. The Lithuanians are an aggressive. people and a little bit out of control. If they are our neighborgs problems will arise. His leader even tried to kill my brother, the imperial candidate to princes Anna's hand.

The duke turned around and looked for somebody. "Captain Simonyi? Where are you?" He asked in surprise.

Elsa saw a man moving forward from the rear of the imperial delegation. He was a little bit taller than Berganza and slender. His hussar uniform was black from tip to toe. The only glimmers of color were the white trimmed hedges of the jacket which he wore hanging from his left shoulder, and a silver death head on his helmet, which he was holding at his side over his left arm. He had a fair face but his blue eyes were cold as ice and his manners suggested some inner tension as if he was ready to blow up, but his movements were elegant and fluid.

"Let me introduce my brother. Captain Erick Simonyi of the 50th of hussars. Tell us Captain, is it not true that prince Vladimiras, the Lithuanian leader, try to kill you?"

The captain dubiously gazed at the duke and the Queen. "It is water under the bridge,we were at war."

"So, he tried to kill you." Replied the duke with a triumphant look in his eyes.

"We were in a battle fighting in opposite sides. It is usual to try killing each other in those situations. I am sure you know it, don't you? Regarding what you have told about the Lithuanians being out of control you don't have to care about it. Prince Vladimiras is a superb leader and a noble man, his men will be peaceful like sheep."

The duke Adrian didn't try to hide his surprise. "I have been told that you nearly die due to your wounds." He said obviously puzzled. "I'm sure he used some dirty trick against you."

Erick gazed at him for a while considering his answer. "No, I try to stab him in the back, but he was smarter and nearly cut off my head." The captain finished his reply in irritation, putting aside his former caution.

"You seem very fond of him, being a person who nearly killed you." Suddenly asked Anna. Elsa stiffened. She would have preferred to left the Imperials quarreling among them.

Erick turned towards the princess, Elsa thought that a smile appeared on his lips, but the grim, if any, disappeared before she could be sure. "After three years trying to kill each other without success, we have developed certain mutual respect. We can say that we are 'best enemies'." The captain's lips curved in a sardonic smile. "Sometimes a good enemy is better than a bad friend... or relative." He completed turning towards her brother.

Elsa raised from the throne. "Well, I think that this solves the issue of your encampment. Unless you fear that your man can be out of control. Do you?" Asked Elsa talking to Ladislas the imperial delegate.

"I agree with you that, after Captain Simonyi explanation, we can left the subject apart." Replied Ladislas while looking at both stepbrothers. He was calm but Erick was sure that he was furious with him and his stepbrother. Berganza instead looked at the scene with great interest, and a faint smile on his face.


	10. The English at Last

Anna sighted and slumped into an armchair. "We have finished at last."

"Yes." Said Elsa massaging her stiff neck.

The reception of the last delegation, a young Belgian count who was claiming Anna's hand, had finished a moment ago and both sisters were in the library relaxing before the ball. "I know it is important to cover Corrado's maneuver, but I wish we could just go to sleep." Said Elsa with a tired voice.

"Well a ball is a ball and this will be the greatest ball we have ever seen in Arendelle, but I would sincerely have preferred missing it." Said Anna with a faint smile.

"Look on the bright side. Kristoff wears the uniform." Said Elsa pouring cold tea from a teapot in a china cup. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No, thanks. Poor Kristoff, he feels so uncomfortable clad in it, but he looks so well."

Elsa smiled at those words. "He had good shoulders, the uniform suits him." She replied, looking at the picture of their father's coronation who was clad in the same uniform. Kai had opposed, saying that Kristoff wasn't a member of the royal family, but Elsa had cut short the discussion.

"He had struggled hard the last year, and he deserves to wear that uniform." Said Elsa, taking a sip of tea.

Anna looked at her sister. Much to Anna's surprise, Elsa and Kristoff had become close friends. The awkward mountain man and the graceful Queen of Arendelle had had a hard year. Both weren't used to interact with people and had found in each other a friend through thick and thin while Elsa had been learning how to interact with her own people and Kristoff getting used to live in a castle.

"Both of you have had a hard year." Said Anna.

Elsa gave a sigh and turned from the picture. "And we are going to have harder times. What do you think of the candidates?"

"Do you want them listed by how much they had displeased me or by how old they are "

"I suppose that Von Schrader, the Prussian will be high on both lists."

"Yes, he is sixty years old, but, much to my surprise, he is not the oldest one!"

"But he told interesting things about you and that group of hussars. Why didn't you call the guards instead of confronting them in the village?"

"Come on Elsa. All the guards were in the imperial reception, anyway I wasn't in danger."

Elsa frowned. It was obvious that she didn't agree with Anna's opinion.

"According to Kai, he is the official candidate of the English." Said Anna, trying to change the subject.

"No. The official candidate of the English is another person that Lord Halkett hasn't even presented at the reception. The French will never accept an English candidate nor the English a French one. So they present a nobody just as a formality. They have a non official candidate that they really support and Von Shrader is the non official, official candidate of the English."

Anna thought for a second. "I dislike him anyway. But he is not the first in the list. This place is for Konrad the King from the southern isles."

"Yes, his likeness with Hans is disturbing." Said Elsa.

"And who is the official unofficial... well the real candidate of the French?"

"His name is Elias Gonzaga but he was not present. Instead his mother lady Gonzaga,widow of a grandee of Spain,..." Elsa said the last words in a pretentious tone of voice, imitating the proud woman. "come on his behalf."

"Why wasn't he present in the reception?"

"I don't know. Maybe, the boy is shy." Replied Elsa with a bit of irony in her voice.

"Or maybe, he also thought that this situation is humiliating. In the end, he is also being forced to marry."

"Don't bet on it." Elsa replied with a doubtful expression

"Yes..." Anna remained silent for a moment. "But not all the candidates were so disgusting, Prince Vladimiras is quite young, taking into account the age of the other candidates, and he is impressive. I mean he is taller than Kristoff and handsome, seems that he have disembarked from an old Norse warlords history."

"It's because he isn't your candidate. Would you marry him instead of Kristtof."

"Of course not." Anna giggled. "I am thinking about the imperial captain who tried to kill him and was nearly killed. The captain must be brave if he tried to kill the prince, even if he did it from the back. The Captain is just a few inches taller than you and thin. Prince Vladimiras is twice his weight."

"His name was Erick, Erick Simonyi." Replied Elsa. "I suppose a battle is not a gentle place, and chivalrous behavior in combat is limited to faery tales. But that man seems to hate his own kind and to love his had the concepts a little bit confused, but I understand he dislikes his brother. Duke Adrian is an unpleasant person, something in his eyes makes me shiver."

In that moment, there was a knock at the door. "Come in." Said Elsa.

Kai entered into the room. "Lord Howart Halkett has asked for a meeting with you and your sister."

"Now!" Said Anna annoyed."After three hours receiving husbands to be, I'm too tired even for a conversation with Corrado let alone him."

Elsa thought for a moment."I suppose that this is his intention. He expects us to be too tired to receive him in good conditions or even a refusal."

"I fear that you are going to say that we must receive him." Said Anna with bleak voice.

"Kai. Let him in." Said Elsa while Anna rose to her feet giving a snort of disgust.

Lord Howard Halkett entered in the room so stiff and solemn as he had been in the official reception. He bowed in front of Elsa.

"Queen Elsa, princess Anna. Excuse me to disturb you after a day so exhausting but I answer your call as soon as my health allows me to come."

"Thanks Lord Halkett, I hope we can clarify some aspects of the conference".

"I am at your disposal." Replied the English.

"We, me and my sister, are a little bit surprised by the sudden interest of England in Arendelle. We have always been proud of our neutrality and we thought that England was interested in maintaining us neutrals."

"And that is the interest of England my dear ladies. Arendelle neutrality is one of the main objectives of the conference. I can assure that.

"But the official position of England until now had been not to interfere in Arendelle internal affairs."

"You have to understand that until now Arendelle was a harmless country, but now the situation is entirely different. Now, the future alliances of Arendelle worry London."

"Even with our long neutrality record?"

"Last year Arendelle get the attention of all the European courts. Who could forecast who will marry you or your sister and henceforth would control Arendelle politics?"

"You are supposing that my future husband would control Arendelle."

For a second a faint smile appeared on Lord Halkett lips. "There would be too much risk involved if we took into account anything else."

"England will be appeased if I assure you that I am not going to marry."

"Maybe in the short term, you would not marry, but what will happen in the future?

"I am not going to marry neither in the short nor the long term."

"Anyway, England can not depend on the plans of a young woman who is only twenty two years old. You may change your mind in the future. Truth to be told, after seeing you this evening, I am sure you would have plenty of proposals, and the wealth of Arendelle wouldn't be the only reason."

Elsa ignored the compliment."Are you sure that the husband you choose will be neutral enough? Arendelle has maintained its neutrality during generations. Why to interfere in something that works."

"The main objective of the conference is to find a husband who ensures Arendelle neutrality. Don't worry Queen Elsa. You can be sure that we will choose the best possible husband for you. This conference has gathered together some of the best diplomats in Europe."

"What about my sister? If England's only concern is the neutrality of Arendelle I can't see any sense in marry her. She don't hold any position."

"Well, I don't know if you have realized that some candidates to your hand are heirs to important titles of the European nobility."

"Yes, this is another question I want to clarify, how are we going to reconcile this. They cannot move from their lands and I am bound to..." Suddenly Elsa stopped talking.

"I see you have understood. It is quite possible that you have to leave Arendelle to be with your husband. So your sister marriage is also important. But don't worry about that, my dear ladies, it is only a possibility. You have to know that we, the diplomats, are always taking in account possibilities that seldom, if ever, happens." He said that with a thin smile in his face.

"I don't want to take more of your time, with your permission I leave you." Lord Halkket got up and bowed his head. "Don't worry Queen Elsa. We will help you to fulfill your duty with Arendelle."

Elsa hardly restrained herself from replying him, and she just dismissed Lord Halket waving her hand.

"What do you think about the possibility of leaving Arendelle?" Asked Anna when Lord Halkett left the library.

"That it is not a possibility. I have received the rumor that England wanted me to be away of Arendelle and all the courts of Europe were aware. That's the reason because my candidates are heirs or holders of great titles in Europe and yours aren't the heirs or have minor titles."

"But Adrian, the imperial candidate to your hand, is just a Duke."

"That's right but his dukedom is far greater, wealthier and more important than Arendelle."

"If you knew that why don't you told me it." Anna couldn't help a mild reproach in her voice.

"Because I wasn't sure. We don't have a real diplomatic network. When our parents died Arendelle's chief of diplomacy died with them. We are a little country and all our network was based on his personal contacts. The last months I have been trying to get every little bit of information about the conference. I get a lot of rumors, most of them contradictory."

"By example the reason to organize all this conference. Some sources said that the main reason is timber. "

"Timber?"

"Yes, timber. Our father used to say that the position of Arendelle in the concert of nations depended always on the timber market. Now England and France are competing for the timber of Arendelle."

"Are you sure of that.?"

"I'm not sure of anything. All my information comes from unreliable sources. I have heard some rumors talking about an unofficial communication from England. They will not accept a candidate for me that would establish himself in Arendelle. The only detail he has said I was unaware is the reason to marry you. It had been a surprise that they wanted it because I have to be away. This bothers me."

"Why?"

"Because they don't only want to send me far away. They have also planned something for Arendelle through your husband to be and that annoys me."

"I see." Anna said with a worried voice. "Do you think they expect to control Arendelle's timber through my husband?"

"What else! Timber is the only thing in Arendelle which they value enough. We must sound the French delegate out about..."

In that moment Kai knocked at the door. "The ball is about to start." Both sisters nodded and Kai left the room closing the door behind him.

They were about to left the room, after getting ready, when Anna stoped suddenly. "And what do you mean with that silly thing you have said about you don't plan to marry in your whole life."

Elsa was about to open the door, but she turned to reply to her younger sister."It's true. Be serious Anna. I'm not a normal person. Who will want to marry me?" She nodded towards the door. "Only them, and they want to marry with Arendelle's wealth."

"You are normal Elsa. Why couldn't you marry if you wanted?"

"Just to give you a hint, touch my skin. It is always cold." Said Elsa, stretching out her hand.

"I already know that, it is just a little cold. I have a colder temperature when I return from a walk during a snowy day."

"Maybe, but it is not normal in the middle of the summer. And what about my powers what can I do in a given moment? Who would share his life with a person who could kill him by mistake if I lose control when... whenever we were together. "

"Why have you to loose control? You have controlled your powers."

"Anna, some relations between men and women may imply certain loss of control. Mom didn't talk you about it?" Elsa couldn't help a hint of irony in her voice, but her smile was brittle.

Anna was taken aback by the frankness of the reply. "I'm sure you won't be dangerous."

"Are you an expert on this issue? There've been anything I have to know between you and Kristoff?" Elsa was obviously tense.

"Somebody may think that you are worth the risk."

" But I'm not going to afford such a risk. Anyway everybody sees me as the snow queen and fear me, they remember that I almost froze Arendelle to death a year ago. They don't dare to talk to me, even the kids. And, in addition, my life don't make me an expert in personal relationships. I have assumed not to marry."

"But Elsa! Your handling of the reception, with all these extrangers, have been outstanding! Why do you say that. You can handle any relation!"

"In the reception I'm the Queen, and it is an easy role. I have been trained all my life to play it. But being just Elsa is not so easy." Elsa shook her head. "I have assumed that I will live alone, enjoying your happiness with Kristoff." Elsa's expression softened. "You have been lucky to meet him, but he has been even luckier."

"But..."

"Enough, Anna." Interrupted Elsa in a curt tone of voice again." I'm not angry about my marriage because I want to select another person. I'm angry because it is so humiliating being manipulated in such a way."

Anna was too indignant to take Elsa's tone of voice into account. "And who would inherit the crown after you if you maintained that silly idea?" She said trying to find an argument valid for Elsa.

"Well" An sly smile appeared on Elsa's face. "Regarding future generations, I count with you to cover that gap. I am sure that Kristoff will be willing to help you in this point." Saying that, Elsa opened the door to meet Kai, who was waiting in the corridor, putting and end to the conversation and leaving behind her an astonished Anna.


	11. The First Ball

The main hall was crowned. Only the candidates and the important members of the delegations had been allowed to be there. The other people were in the section of the courtyard covered with ice vaults which had been set up to be used as dancing hall. Great lamps have been hanged from the ice vaults and their lights were reflected by the smooth inner surface of the high roofs. The orchestra had been placed in one of the great balconies, so the music could be heard inside and outside.

Elsa and Anna entered after being announced by Kai. Everybody stop talking and bowed. They stood by the throne. Elsa waved her hand and the orchresta started to play.

Few women had come with the different delegations. Aristocratic families from all Norway had come with her sons and daughters, but anyway women were scarce. So the men in the hall quickly moved to get a dancing partner.

Kristoff approached to the dais and went upstairs."You do it very well in the reception."Said the mountainman fighting with his tight collar with one of his fingers.

"Thank you Kristoff." Replied Elsa. She can't avoid smiling at the captivated expression of Anna looking at Kristoff clad in the dress uniform of Arendelle. "Anna, Kristoff, why don't you dance?"

"You don't mind?" Quickly replied Anna.

"Of course! If somebody approaches me with a priest, I would call the guards." Joked Elsa, beaming.

Anna took along Kristoff to the center of the hall and they started to dance. Elsa looked at them for a while and then went downwards the dais in order to locate Christian Mullon, the French delegate.

"Queen Elsa!" A man's voice came from behind.

Elsa turned to find the imposing figure of prince Vladimiras. The man was more than an entire head taller than Elsa. His green dress uniform and the long bearskin cloak hanging from his shoulders made him an even more impressive figure. Elsa was momentarily taken aback.

"Good evening, Queen Elsa. Excuse my boldness, but I have been told that the imperials have complained by the disposition of the encampments. " His French was very good, but with a thick accent.

Elsa feared another complaint about the imperial complaint and being entangled in a silly discussion. Protocol issues were so enervating and fruitless. "Good evening Prince Vladimiras, whatever you have heard you don't have to worry."

"You don't understand me, If moving my men is needed, please tell me and I will raise a complaint about any minor problem in the encampment situation, so we would solve this silly question without further discussions. "

Elsa looked surprised. By doing so they could move the Lithuanians without offending them. "Thank you, it is very kind of you. In a situation like this, people usually would just make , a formal complain against the Empire."

"When I had to complain about the empire, I would have far better reasons." His voice was gentle but something in the tone was cold as ice. "But I don't want to talk about the empire I would prefer to have the pleasure of the next dance."

"I am sorry, but I don't dance."

The Lithuanian prince didn't look offended by the refusal. "Don't worry, I prefer to talk with you for a while. If we are supposed to be married, getting to know each other would be good."

"You have nine competitors." Replied Elsa, but she can't help smiling at the Prince's boldness.

"I will deal with that detail, but now I would like to get to know you. But truth to be told I am not used to this kind of situations, and I am not sure about the correct way to behave."

"You have adapted quickly enough. Have all your men adapted so quickly to be in Arendelle?"

"Well it is quite different from Lithuania."

"Why?"

"Lithuania has been isolated too much. This is a problem for us. We lag behind the western countries, and we suffered that in the last war against the empire. My country needs to open to the west, to be modernized to be more like the western countries, more like Arendelle."

"But I suppose that something like this will be difficult. It is not an easy task to change an entire country." The conversation was arousing Elsa's curiosity. The only facts she knew about Lithuania were that it was an isolated country, not very well integrated into the commercial networks of the Baltic sea, although it had a wide coastline on that sea.

"Well, a lot of people in Lithuania follow the old ways. I am doing what I am allowed to do. I hope everything will be easier when I am the king."

"Doesn't your father share your ideas about Lithuania."

The prince smiled at the question, as if it had pleased him. "No, he loves tradition, and besides, he hasn't had time enough to get an idea of the changes I am going to do.

"Did you tell him your opinions about Lithuania not long ago?"

"No, he knows I don't fit in the older ways from my childhood, but I was not supposed to be King until my two elder brothers died in the war against the empire."

"I am sorry."

"Thank you. Now, I am the first in the line of succession, and my father has to accept that I have rather different ideas about the future of Lithuania."

"You have a heavy burden on your shoulders. You have my sympathies. Wearing a crown isn't easy."

"Yes, And the weight may be even heavier for my Queen."

"What do you mean?" Elsa had relaxed a bit during the conversation with Vladimiras, but she tensed up again.

"My country is a very special country and its Queen must be exceptional. A westerner queen would represent the West for my people. The appropriate woman could make everything easier."

" And the inappropriate woman could make everything worse. Tell me Princess Vladimiras, do you really think that I, the snow queen, am the appropriate woman for such a part. Would your people see me as a westerner or just like the representation of winter?"

"Until I have talked with you I didn't believe that you were fitted for the task. But now..."

"Now?"

"I hope they wouldn't see neither the westerner nor the snow queen. They will see just you. You are impressive enough to override the other options."

"You flatter me." Said Elsa sincerely pleased. "But why you come to Arendelle if you didn't believe that I was fit."

"Because my father ordered me to marry you."

Elsa couldn't help being taken aback by the sincerity of the reply.

"Did you expect a more romantic answer?"

"Since we have never met before, it wasn't a very plausible option." She answered with a reflective look in her eyes."Maybe I had expected a more formal answer. But during the reception, I have had formal answers enough. Your sincerity is welcomed."

* * *

Anna and Kristoff were in the middle of the hall dancing while King Konrad of the southern isles and his brother observed them.

"Is he the fishmonger?"Asked Konrad.

"He is an ice seller. And yes, he is Anna's couple." Replied Stephan.

"Why do they dress him with the royal livery? He isn't a member of the royal family, and being the lover of a Princess doesn't grant him the right to wear those clothes."

"Don't care so much with petty details. Have you already committed suicide talking with the French?"

"I will meet Mullon later, and he is most interested."

"Of course he is! You, a key ally of England in Scandinavia, are offering him your head."

* * *

The count Friedrich von Schrader had a pain in his foot. He had been walking with just a cane and the gout was taking its toll. He took a deep breath and maintained his smile while crossing the room. He had been talking with the Bavarian Prince, and now he was heading towards a Hessian Count. Half Germany was in Arendelle and the old count was going to take profit of this.

He met Otto and leaned on his shoulder to pull himself together, before talking with the Hessian.

"Uncle, are you all right?"

"Apart from the fact that my foot seems to be about to explode, I'm fine. Have you seen the mountain man." The old Count nodded towards Anna and Kristoff. The dance had finished, and Kristoff had left Anna, going towards a group of Norwegian nobles. Anna was looking at her sister who was talking with the Lithuanian Prince.

"They should be crazy to provoke the English in such a way. Princess Anna's couple clad in the royal livery of Arendelle. It is a declaration of war for Lord Halkett."

"Bah..." Said the Count. "He is going to marry them with whoever he considers the most suitable suitor. Nothing they could do would change that, and at least, they have defied him." Concluded the old hussar, with a look of approval at the lonely figure of Anna in the middle of the hall.

* * *

"Excuse me, what are you talking about." Allan Halkett interrupted his old friend Kurt von Schrader in the middle of his explanation.

"Allan, what are you thinking about?" Replied the young German giggling. "Since the beginning of the ball you are absent, your mind is in another place."

"I am just a little bit tired. It has been a long travel. Now tell me, you were talking about another crumbling ruin."

"Yes, uncle Friedrich told me that this is not the original castle of the dynasty of Arendelle. There was a previous one in the coast."

"I didn't know he was interested in Arendelle's history."

"You would be surprised how meticulous he is. He has spent a good deal of time studying Arendelle's history. He even recommended me asking Queen Elsa's permission to visit the fortress."

"Well, If you Are going to get permission from the Queen, the best thing to do is talking with her." Alan nodded his head towards the throne. In front of the stairs of the dais, over which the throne was placed, Elsa was talking with Vladimiras the Prince of Lithuania.

Elsa was a tall woman, but her slender figure was exceeded by the taller and bulky Lithuanian.

"You could challenge him to get the right to speak with the Queen." Joked Allan.

"Even if I was able to defeat such a warrior I would prefer to wait until they finished their conversation. It's easier." Kurt looked at the Queen talking with the Lithuanian. "She is fascinating!"

"Hey! You are interested in something different that ruins."

The young German clicked his tongue while shaking his head."Have you noticed the Queen didn't wear a crown on her head."

"Well, I recognize that I pay attention to other features when looking at a woman. Do you think this is so important?"

"Usually, Kings and Queens care a lot about those details. They would sleep with their crowns on, if it was possible. Seeing a Queen without a crown is quite extrange"

"Maybe there is no crown in Arendelle."

"Come with me!" Said Kurt heading to the door which connected the great hall to the room where they have been waiting few hours ago to be received by the queen. Now, the room was being used as a extension of the ballroom and was crowded. After crossing the door, Kurt stopped in front of a great picture hanging on the wall at his right. "The crown of Arendelle." He said, waving his hand.

Allan gazed at the picture. It was a life sized portrait of the Queen of Aredelle sitting on her throne with her sister standing at her right. Elsa held in her hands the orb and scepter of Arendelle. Anna's left hand was over Elsa's right arm. The picture was really good and caught the features and expression of both girls. The Queen wore a crown of gold and jewels on her head.

"So this is the crown of Arendelle." Said the English.

"Don't you imagine where it is?"

"Maybe it was lost a year ago. I have been told that the coronation ceremony was rather troubled."

"Maybe, but in a year, a reply would have been done."

"Well, I give up. Why don't she wear the dammed crown?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea!" Replied Kurt smiling. "But it is not the only mystery. Look at Princess Anna's feet."

Allan looked at the picture, and saw a shattered sword painted in front of Anna's feet. "Maybe is it an old family symbol?" Said Allan, looking uncertain.

"Then it would be also displayed in other pictures of previous Kings and Queens of Arendelle. There are a lot of them in different rooms of the castle and this is the only one with a shattered sword. And look at the throne."

Allan gazed with interest. "It is made of ice!"

"Yes it's a replica of the throne of Arendelle in ice. I suppose it is appropriate for the Snow Queen." Kurt looked through the window at the ice covered roofs of the castle towers. "Althought it is a petty thing compared with the replica of the Upper Belvedere she have put over the castle."

"The Belvedere?" Asked Allan.

"It is a palace in Vienna."

"How have you realized all these details?" Asked Allan looking at the picture.

"Well, Kings and Queens need to make public their intentions regarding the future through pictures and other stuff like this. I am used to decipher them when I travel through the German Confederation. It is easy to know what the rulers of a country fear or desire through symbols like this."

Allan looked at his friend with interest. "And do you travel often to the German Confederation?"

"Well, I use to go to different countries to perform my investigations."

"It's true what I have been told that you are a spy for your uncle."

"I'm a goodwill ambassador on behalf of my uncle, and the King of Prussia. The German kingdoms are like brothers there is no sense talking about spies. "

"They would also be brothers if they form an alliance with the Austrians?"

"Of course!"

"And your investigations include studying the fortresses?"

"Of course, Do you know that I study the architecture of the ancient fortresses."

"Only the ancient ones? Or you also visit the modern ones. "

"Well whatever which is interesting enough." Kurt seemed uneasy.

"When you return of your travels, I'm sure your uncle listen to whatever you have to say with great interest."

"You are talking no sense." Said Kurt, but he had stopped smiling.

Allan gave Kurt a pat on the back. "Don't worry." Right then, he saw Anna leaving the ballroom through the door, they have crossed a little while ago. "If you want to ask permission to visit the other fortress this is the moment." He said to Kurt.

Kurt looked to the young princess and smiled, he seemed rather pleased to change the subject of the conversation. "Well, we can try, the permission of a princess would be quite enough."

Anna had just gotten rid of a suitor, a Polish count who was too much attentive, and was looking for Kristoff. They had parted after dancing because Kristoff wanted to talk with an acquaintance from a neighboring kingdom. A count that was very fond of traveling through the wilderness who always liked to talk with Kristoff. Anna, while waiting for Kristoff, had been addressed by the young count.

She couldn't see Kristoff in the ballroom, maybe he had gone to a quieter place. Elsa and Kristoff used to leave together from official ceremonies, when it was possible, to talk in a place without people, since both disliked crowded places. Elsa liked Kristtof's common sense and quiet nature, and the mountain man, much to Anna's satisfaction, liked Elsa's cleverness and kindness towards both of them.

But Anna had seen Elsa talking with the tall prince from Lithuania. She didn't look upset at all. In fact, she was even laughing with him. So Kristoff had gone on their own. It was a problem since it was easier to locate them together. They always went to the same places. But Kristoff alone was far more difficult to find. Anna's couple could be anywhere in the castle from the kitchen talking with the cook to the high balconies over the roofs, enjoying the sensation of being under the stars.

The princess had gone to the waiting hall in the hope that she could find Kristoff there, unsuccessfully. She decided that it was useless to search him, anyway she wanted to be with her sister. Anna was about to return to the ballroom, when a tall man with a thick black beard and a broad smile on his face approached her.

"Princess Anna." Said the man slightly bowing his head.

Anna looked at the young man, but she couldn't recognize him. "I'm sorry. I'm sure that I have seen you during the reception, but I don't remember your name." She said smiling.

"Don't worry. I have been in the receptions, but I have not been presented officially. My name is Kurt von Schrader, and I am the nephew of Count Friedrich von Schrader."

Anna had to conceal her displeasure at the name of the old Count. When the count had appeared in the reception, she hasn't known whether to laugh or cry.

Another man, clad in the British navy uniform walked beside Kurt. "Let me introduce my fri..." Started to say the young German.

"I recognize you!" Interrupted Anna. "You are the nephew of Lord Howard Halkett, Allan Halkett." Anna realized too late that the captain had not been officially presented during the reception. Kai had explained to both sisters who was the young captain at the side of the English dignitary. So it might be strange that she recognized him.

"You have a good memory!" Replied the naval officer, visibly pleased of being recognized.

Anna smiled at him avoiding to say that any relative of Lord Howard Halkket will be remembered as a potential danger.

"Excuse me my daring, but I have told that an old stone castle still remains in Arendelle."

"A stone castle?" Said Anna, looking surprised at the young German. "You must be mistaken. This is the only castle in Arendelle."

"It may be crumbling, or maybe you don't know it was a castle."

"As a matter of fact, the more crumbling the better." Interrupted Allan.

Anna's face lit up. "Maybe you are talking about the old watchtower. But there only remain a few scattered stones."

Kurt was going to reply, but Allan got in before him. "If you added that it is in remote and isolated place in the middle of nowhere, he couldn't help immediately setting off to the watchtower."

Anna couldn't avoid smiling at the annoyed expression of Kurt. She couldn't help liking the young German. Something in his joyful face and warm manners won everybody's affection.

"I would like your permission to visit the place. I'm studying the old Scandinavian fortresses and so few of them are made in stone." Said Kurt.

"Of course you can visit it, but I think you will be disappointed. Nothing remains of the old building."

"Don't worry I know how to read the secrets of those old buildings." Kurt face was beaming with joy.

Anna smiled back. He was so different to his uncle. Suddenly he had a crazy idea so crazy that she couldn't help trying. "I would like to come with you."

"Excuseme?" Replied the young German surprised.

"I would like to see how do you read those secrets. Would you mind if I come with you?"

"Of course you can come with us, it will be our pleasure" Allan quickly said.

Kurt nodded while looking at his friend. He was surprised by Allan's eagerness to go with the young princess of Arendelle.


	12. Ladies' Conversation

At last, Elsa could leave the main hall. According to the protocol, it was late enough not to seem discourteous, and she was really tired. Anna had left the hall an hour before towards the gates to wait for Kristoff. Kai had told them that her boyfriend had been called by Corrado, the Italian needed somebody who knows how to move loaded animals by night in the wilderness. During the rest of the ball, Elsa could tell that Anna's mind had been out of the castle.

As soon as protocol allowed it, maybe before, Elsa had told Anna to leave. Both sisters would meet later in the library. After that, the Queen had a last conversation with a group of Arendelle's nobility before leaving the ball and heading towards the library.

The Queen has just gone out of the main hall, when she saw her image reflected in a mirror. She felt a sudden displeasure caused by her dress. Before the reception she had joked with Anna about it. Both sisters had nicknamed it Elsa's diplomatic gear. But now, so flamboyant and impressive, after more than nine hours dealing with strangers, Elsa couldn't recognize her own reflection in the mirror. She could see the Snow Queen, but where was Elsa?

For a moment, she missed her coronation gown, but she pushed aside a wisp of her bangs and pulled herself together. "This isn't the time to hide." She thought. "I need a rest and a long talk with Anna". Then she had a glimpse of the French delegate in a little room adjacent to the main hall. Elsa doubted for a second. The day has been exhausting and every bit of his body was claiming to retire to the library. But it may be a golden opportunity to make clear the French intentions. If only he was more willing to enter into negotiations than the English. The Queen thought in Anna, took a deep breath and knocked at the door.

"Come in." Said the voice of the French dignitary.

Elsa entered into the room. "Oh!" She said, feigning surprise. "I am sorry. I have been told that my sister was here. Christian Mullon, the french delegate, and Madam Gonzaga, the mother of the Spanish candidate stood in the middle of the room. A young man was seated on a couch with a strange expression on his face. A tall man clad in a dark green uniform was attending to him. The young man seemed anxious.

"Don't worry, Queen Elsa. It is always a pleasure to meet you, and anyway, I owe you a meeting." Said the French delegate with a broad smile on his face. "Of course if you were too tired we could postpone it till tomorrow."

"Now it's perfect." Said Elsa.

"Please Pedro, could you wait outside?" Said Mullon to the man clad in dark green. "And take him along." Added the french nodding his head towards the young man.

"No! Pedro, left him with us. He is too tired to wait in the hallway." Madam Gonzaga curtly ordered.

Pedro nodded and left the room. The young man tried to retain the soldier at his side, but Madam Gonzaga sat by and comforted him as if he was a child. Elsa remembered the mentally retarded young man whom Anna had viewed in the morning walking through Arendelle. "So he is a relative of the Spanish candidate, maybe a brother." Thought Elsa.

"I want to have a talk with you about some details of the conference." Said Elsa to Mullon, looking at the young man and madam Gonzaga.

"Whatever you have to say about the conference, you can say it before madam Gonzaga. Our positions are the same." Said Christian, concealing his irritation. Elias had problems adapting to Arendelle, the long travel and the new environment had sunk him in a continuous state of excitement, therefore it have been impossible for him to stay in the encampment. And his mother, so clever and cold in other issues, was absolutely irrational on anything regarding her son.

Elsa felt Gonzaga's victorious look. "Talking about it, what is the official position of France regarding Arendelle?" Asked Elsa.

"Truth to be told, the official position of France is that we don't have an official position. " Replied Mullon.

"Sorry but I don't understand you."

"In this issue I have to say that England is the main instigator. France is here to ensure that everything is solved in a correct and fair way. But we don't have real interests in Arendelle. That history going around that we will use Arendelle to invade England is a no sense. "

"Does England share your point of view about the possibility of an invasion?"

"Please, ask Lord Halket about that. I cannot talk in behalf of England. "

"So, are you trying to tell me that France has come here only to sit and watch what happens? All this issue is an interference in the internal affairs of a neutral country."

"Obviously we are not going to sit and watch. France is here, in fact, to be sure that Arendelle is fairly treated. Don't worry Queen Elsa, I will do my best to ensure that you and your sister get good husbands for Arendelle. But take into account that the Scandinavian peninsula is mainly under English influence. My options here are scarce." While telling that, Mullon smiled as if he was offering a great opportunity to Elsa.

Elsa remained silent for a moment. It was obvious that the French delegate wasn't going to give any useful information. She decided to change the subject to more frivolous matters, and include Madam Gonzaga in the conversation. Maybe in this way she could get a glimmer of Mullon's intentions.

"Talking about husbands to be and current candidates." Said Elsa turning to the woman. "I haven't met the Spanish candidate yet. Is he ill?"

Madam Gonzaga was about to reply, but Mullon interrupted her. "He feels a bit indisposed. I think it is better to delay your meeting a few days."

Madam Gonzaga frowned at the French dignitary."I think it is useless to wait. Both are in the same room they might have an informal first contact." Gonzaga was getting upset about the way Christian looked at the Queen. The young Queen, clad in her lavish imperial style dress looked gorgeous, and Christian had been always perceptive to female beauty.

"In the same room?" Elsa can't help looking around the room, searching another person who she hadn't seen yet. At last Elsa gazed the young man on the couch, and her face turned pale. "He is your candidate." Elsa said in a whisper.

"Of course he is our candidate!" Said madam Gonzada angrily. "What did you expect? He will give you healthy sons."

Elsa was speechless, but Gonzaga's last words roused her anger. "Now, I am sure that you will do your best to get a husband for me Mister Mullon." Said Elsa with bitter irony.

"You and me are women of noble lineages." Went on madam Gonzaga, not allowing Mullon to step in. "I suppose that you will be on a par with your ancestors and will do your duty. Beautiful histories about charming princes are for children and we left our childhood behind time ago."

" That is true, but I have to recognize that my memories regarding those histories are more recent than yours." Replied Elsa shooting a fierce glance at the woman.

Gonzaga stiffened and replied Elsa's words with a disdainful grimace. She was going to answer, but Christian intervened. "We are too tired. It has been a long day and we need a rest. With your permission Queen Elsa we will retire to our rooms."

Elsa nodded and they left the room. When they were outside Mullon took D'Arbanville arm. "You are a quite smart person. Why do you behave like a fool when your son is involved? The scene you have made with the Queen has been useless, and now she will be against us."

"And you wanted to lock my son up in his room. Did you think no one would realize?" The woman nodded towards the room, they had just left. "Anyway you always say that her opinion won't be taken into account. Or are you looking for something else?"

"The later they realize it, the better. In diplomacy, every detail is important, and a deceived friend is better than a sincere enemy."

"Mother, what happens?" Asked Elias, obviously afraid. Mullon and d'Arbanvile have been arguing sharply and the boy, even don't understanding, could feel the strain between them. Pedro was trying to calm him down.

Mullon took a brief look at the frightened boy." As I said before it has been a long day. Let's go to our rooms"

Madam Gonzaga put her arm around Elias' shoulders and took him off while trying to calm him.

Inside the room, once alone, Elsa sat on the couch. "Be sarcastic is useless." She thought. "I have to control my temper. She tried to remember her father's advice about diplomacy, but instead she remembered the old litany to control his powers. "Don't let them in. Don't let them see." How appropriate these words were in diplomatic affairs.

The door flung open and Anna entered into the room, her face beaming after talking with Kristoff. "Elsa? Kai told me that you were here with... Elsa! What has happened? Are you fine?" Anna's breath looked like smoke in the cold air. The room lights had dimmed and the air was limpid with the emptiness of a clear winter night in a snowy mountain. Ana felt the cold through her thin dress when she approached to Elsa, and knelt in front of her. Elsa raised her eyes and looked at Anna in the faint light, trying to find something to say. Something that would hide the harsh reality from her younger sister.

"Anna, he is the candidate." She said at last.

" Who?"

"The boy you see lost in the crowd who was mentally retarded. He is the Spanish candidate and is supported by the french."

"Are you joking?" Asked Anna in surprise.

"I wish it was a joke. Mullon tried to hide it, but Madam Gonzaga, the mother of the boy, stated it clear enough. I couldn't do anything for you and Kristoff. They look down on us and don't want to negotiate. This is a nightmare! " Elsa was trying to pull herself together, but her voice broke saying the last words.

Anna, speechless, hugged her elder sister as Elsa used to do when Anna was four years old, before the accident which parted them.


	13. Best Enemies

Vladimiras had gone out of the castle to stroll about the gardens. He couldn't avoid staring in amazement to the ice vaults which covered the most of the courtyard. Great lamps hanged from the ice roofs, and their light reflected on them giving to the gardens a strange atmosphere almost magical. "A faerie castle for a faerie Queen." Thought Vladimiras.

He moved away, searching for peace and quiet. The people were crammed around the tables and under the balcony from which the musics were playing, but great areas of the garden were empty.

In the sections distant from the keep, the faerie atmosphere were even greater. Vladimiras remembered he first time he beheld the ice castle. The night before everything was normal, but in the morning the ice castle was there. For Vladimiras it had been a shock. One thing is to hear about the Snow Queen. But seeing her powers in action was quite another mater.

Since then, something changed in the encampments, everyone was fully aware that they were, as Steponas said, in the lands of Winter. And the meeting with Elsa of Arendelle have been whatever he had imagined and more. A Queen like that would be a shock for Lithuania. He hoped he has made a good impression. How was he supposed to talk to the Queen of Winter? He had chosen to be sincere, he intuitively knew that trying to cheat such a woman would be foolish."

"Hello, Prince Vladimiras!" Said a voice speaking in Lithuanian. Vladimiras turned around in surprise, he hadn't seen anybody approaching. Then he spotted a figure clad in black into a group of bushes.

"Hello Captain Simonyi." Replied Vladimiras. "Where are you hiding?" The young hussar was in the middle of the thick vegetation.

"You have a way there, by the tree." Said the imperial, showing the way.

Vladimiras found a narrow and winding path, almost invisible which headed to a little gazebo covered with ivy.

"How have you discovered this place? It is invisible from outside." Vladimiras asked, following the path.

"I have been told how to find it. I'm waiting for a person."

Vladimiras entered in the little construction. It was a circular wooden vault sustained by eight columns. Seven handrails between the columns enclosed a tiny space which could accommodate four persons on the benches by the rails. In the middle of the gazebo was a little table with a chess board on it. He also noticed a bottle and two glasses on one of the benches. Vladimiras realized that it was an excellent place for a romantic meeting."If you were waiting for a woman then I would leave."

"Don't worry. I'm waiting for a fifty years old man." Replied the hussar, with a broad smile on his face.

Both man shook hands, and seated on the benches. They stared at each other in an embarrassing silence. Eventually Vladimiras started to talk. "What are we supposed to do? We are going to have a talk or try to kill to each other? "

Erick smiled. They have tried to kill each other for a long time during the war between Lithuania and the Empire in the Plains, losing a great deal of friends and relatives in the process. They weren't used to be at peace. "Since we are in a third country, and any fight would mean a diplomatic incident, we could start having a drink." Replied the hussar, taking the glasses from the bench, pouring wine into them and giving one to the Prince.

Vladimiras took a sip and gazed at the figures on the chess board. "Were you playing a chess game?" Asked the Lithuanian.

"No. It was here when I came. I was studying it. Whoever is the black, he is clever at chess. Do you see how he is piercing the white's defense with his Queen. If he was smart enough, the white would be defeated in two moves."

"Sincerely, I dislike chess."

Erick gazed at the Prince. "Your entire life is a chess game. I suppose that you deal with enough schemes in your live to add more with chess."

The Lithuanian Prince raised his eyebrows. "What are you doing here? You are the last person I expected to find in Arendelle. Truth to be told, you seem weird out of a military environment."

"I was supposed to marry princess Anna."

"What do you mean with you were supposed."

"I have rejected to marry her"

The Prince chocked on the wine he was drinking."You have what!"

"Adrian is behind it. And I don't want to get involved."

"Are you kidding? I know the relation with your stepbrother. The confrontation between both Simonyi was known by the whole imperial army in the Plains. Even the Lithuanian army during the war joked about that. You even were about to be court martialed, only the intervention of Hadick, your colonel, saved you.

"Yes, it was very kind of him to defend me."

"It was intelligent. You are one of his best captains. You will be the youngest colonel in the imperial army, if you stay alive. But your reaction is foolish. Don't you care that it could affect your future in the army? Your brother is an important person in the imperial command."

"I doubt it. The management of the hussar regiments is out of the imperial command. Each one has an owner the 'inhaber', an Hungarian landlord who defray all regiment expenses. As the inhaber pays, he chooses the officers of his regiment".

"But your brother could talk with the owner of your regiment."

"Then I would enlist in another regiment. I could get a recommendation letter from my colonel."

"What would prevent your brother from talking with the other owner."

"Each inhaber means to ask a favor. And the favors should be returned. And the relations among Hungarian landlords aren't always friendly. It's too much bother just to take revenge on me."

"I see. But there is a risk."

Erick shrugged. "I know, but what else can I do?"

"What about being reasonable."

"Sometimes, being reasonable is the most unreasonable thing you could do." Said the young hussar with an humorless smile on his face." But, tell me. What are you doing here, claiming Queen Elsa's hand? You told me that you didn't want to marry. Why did you change you mind?"

"I have received a direct order from my father to marry Queen Elsa."

"Ignore it."

"The situation is more complex than that."

"Why? Tell him that you are satisfied enough being a bachelor."

"It's not so easy. When my elder brothers died, the situation was complex. According to Lithuania's traditions only the King or his proclaimed heir could be commander of the army. The heir was Antanas my brother's son, but he was twelve years old and the Empire was over us. It was not the moment to put a child or an elderly man like my father in charge of the army. The army unanimously gave me support to be proclaimed heir.

"It's not strange. You had just saved them from being exterminated during the retreat from the Plains."

"Yes, The retreat from the Plains wasn't an easy situation."

"It was hard for both armies." Added Erick.

Vladimiras went on. "My father accepted me as proclaimed heir against his will. The traditionalist families opposed me, since they know that I want to made changes in Lithuania. Now we are at peace with the empire, the situation isn't so critical, and as commander of the army, I have done some unpopular changes. The support of the army wouldn't be so unanimous in a new crisis, therefore I can't afford any confrontation with my father."

"As always your live is a chess game, but you are the player and the figure at the same time." Said Erick.

"Maybe you are right, but I have the opportunity to modernize Lithuania, and I must do it. Antanas will be King after me at the right moment. I never wanted to be King. I have seen the price of wearing a crown in my father, but now it's my duty. I cannot shirk it."

"It's clear you have reasonable grounds to act that way." Said Erick with a bit of irony in the word 'reasonable'.

The prince took a deep breath. "Let's not talk about that." He replied at last." Tell me. Do you know of the mountain man?"

"The mountain man?" Erick seemed confused.

"The man tall, blond and bulky. I believe his name is Kristopher. "

"Kristoff, his name is Kristoff and he is the romantic partner of Princess Anna of Arendelle."

"I have heard about their relation, I supposed he was a kind of tribal leader of the people from inland, and his marriage with Princess Anna some kind of alliance between Arendelle and them. But it doesn't fit with him being dressed in Arendelle's royal livery."

"How do you know he was dressed in Arendelle's royal livery?"

"The pictures of the ancient Kings of Arendelle show the same uniform. Truth to be told, I get little information about him. A sailor even told me that he is an ice seller. Do you know of him?"

"He is just an ice seller, and the only reason for the marriage is that they are in love with each other."

Vladimiras stared at him in incredulity."An ice seller? I can hardly believe it. Are you sure of that?"

"I'm sure. The last weeks, I have seen them moving through Arendelle, and they seem as a couple in love."

"The last weeks? The imperial delegation has arrived this very morning."

"I came on my own." Erick fill the Lithuanian Prince in on his travel through the Plains, Prussia, the Baltic sea and the crossing of the Scandinavian mountains."I reached Arendelle three weeks ago, and I had to wait for my comrades from the Empire."

"And you have done all this just to avoid meeting your stepbrother, Adrian." Vladimiras said, raising his eyebrows. "But you were talking about Princess Anna. You said that she uses to go through Arendelle."

"Yes, she is not the typical Princess, she mixes with the common people and even cares for them. She seems a nice girl." Erick smiled while talking about Anna.

"I have heard a lot of histories about her being converted in an ice statue by her sister. I didn't believe them, but now..." Vladimiras raised his eyes to glance at the great ice vault over their heads."

"I have heard the events of the last summer explained in a lot of different ways. Some of them contradict the others, but all coincide in three points. Queen Elsa's powers were about to freeze Arendelle, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles was the evil man who tried to become King, trying to kill both sisters, and Princess Anna was the heroine who saved her sister and Arendelle from destruction, risking her life and being transformed in an ice sculpture in the process. Brave Princess Anna they call her. If only half of what they say is true Anna of Arendelle is as brave as she seems."

"You speak as if you know her."

"She liked to listen to Corrado's descriptions of other countries. I have seen her a lot of times this last weeks, talking with Corrado and with the people who works in the harbor."

"Who is Corrado?"

"He is an acquaintance from the army in the Plains. I have been staying at his home. He was an imperial engineer, but he left the imperial service. Now he works for Queen Elsa in the construction of the new harbor." Explained Erick.

"I see, but I'm more interested about the elder sister."

"Why? you could know of her in your wedding night. Although after seeing her, It may be difficult for you to pay attention to those details that night." Joked Erick.

Vladimiras didn't reacted to Erick's joke. "I have to be sure that she is an appropriate Queen for Lithuania. Could you tell me something about her?"

"I haven't had any contact with him. He don't like to mix with common people. I have been almost an entire month in Arendelle and I hadn't seem her until the reception."

"But you have been a lot of time in Arendelle, and you are quite clever gathering information. You have been scout in the imperial army of the Plains for a long time. What do the people of Arendelle tell about her regarding the last summer events?"

"They aren't so unanimous as with her sister. Some said that both sisters worked together to save Arendelle. Other versions, instead, explained that she tried to destroy Arendelle and kill her sister on purpose."

"The Queen of Arendelle trying to destroy her own kingdom doesn't seem very plausible."

"I agree with you. The point of the history is that some people in Arendelle have aversion to their Queen, and the bishop Bodo is one of them."

"The bishop of Arendelle dislikes the Queen?"

"There is a rumor going round that he was horrified by the powers of the Queen and in private he maintains that Queen Elsa's powers are some kind of sorcery."

"I have to recognize that it's a possible explanation."

Erick went on."Some people said that Prince Hans was going to decapitate Queen Elsa and hang her headless body upside down in any public place to become subject to the ridicule and abuse of the common folk. It seems that such an ungentle treatment is the typical punishment for witches in this region of the world. And some people even said that Princess Anna was wrong saving her sister."

"Do they feel so little affection for their Queen?"

"Put yourself in their place. They were about to die. If Hans had killed the Queen, stopping the winter, they would have acclaimed him. But Anna saved her sister and saved Arendelle in her own way. Sometimes being a hero or a demon, a witch or a Queen is decided in a heartbeat. People who now praise brave Princess Anna and acclaim Queen Elsa would have stoned a headless corpse hanging from her feet from the canopy of the market in Arendalle's main square. But some people maintain her previous opinion even when everyone acclaim their beautiful Queen and brave Princess. "

Vladimiras thought about it. If the Lithuanians considered Elsa a witch it would be a real problem. "You are talking about people's opinion of her. It's really interesting, but don't you have any hint about her character? I have seen you judging enemy commanders' character. In fact, I have suffered your skill judging my character during the war. You are very able at that.

Erik doubted for a second while taking a sip of wine. "She..." He stopped."I suppose that she don't care too much for her sister."

"Why do you think so?"

"Anna is in love with the mountain man, and she will be forced to marry with whoever the English and French decide in the conference. And what is the Queen's reaction?" Erick waved toward the tables near the keep. They were lavishly full of food and drinks of the best quality."She makes a celebration." The young hussar finished with disdain in his voice.

"And what do you expected? She is a Queen receiving high dignitaries. "

"It was necessary to receive them with such an opulence? They are going to make a party every day inviting to all the members of the delegations, including the crews of the ships, and all the people in Arendelle. They have even send food and drink to the ships for the crewmen on guard duty. It's absolutely out of proportion!. Queen Elsa should be enjoying all this. I suppose it is flattering to receive the attentions af all those suitors. It is like a faerie tale with a lot of charming princes competing for her hand." Erick said the last words in a mocking tone of voice.

"So what's your point?" Asked Vladimiras.

"She don't care too much for people, neither her sister nor Arendelle's people. She is happy enough being the most desired bride in Europe, to care about her sister relationship or the future of Arendelle in the hands of her future husband. Maybe she isn't smart enough to realize that her future husband will pay her hand with the wealth of Arendelle."

"I have had a talk with her, and she seems a smart woman?"

"Then I suppose that she is too busy picturing herself as a great duchess of the empire, or Queen of a greater country like Bavaria or Lithuania to care about her sister or her little kingdom. It seems that she enjoy a lot her suitors' attentions."

"I doubt that she will enjoy the attentions of the Spanish candidate"

"Why? Is he so ugly?"

"His claim is supported by the French, and nobody have seen him. The rumours said that he is mentally retarded."

Erick let out a whistle from between his teeth. "She will learn the price of these affairs in a specially hard way, when her faery tale of charming Princes fall to pieces. Are you sure of that?"

"He is a Grandee of Spain, but nobody knows anything about him. He have been all his life away of the court. Something must be wrong with him."

They remained silent for a while, the sweet scent of the flowers filled the air. "Why don't you accept the possibility to marry princess Anna." Said eventually Vladimiras.

The young hussar was going to reply but Vladimiras stopped him waving his hand."Think about it. What are your expectations? What are your possibilities to survive to each campaign? You have been about to die in several occasions. And what are your possibilities to promote with your stepbrother against you? There are far worse options than marry princess Anna. Bed her, and stay in Arendelle or, If you want to be a soldier, you can serve in the imperial army anyway. Being a prince of Arendelle your promotion would be easier."

"Why are you telling that to me?"

"Think about it as a friend's advice."

"Are you sure that you aren't influenced by the fact that if I married Princess Anna, Adrian's chances to marry Queen Elsa would drop to zero? The English would never accept both girls married with people from the same country. And I'm half Norwegian, it is supposed that it gives me more possibilities than any other candidate." Erick replied with a mocking smile.

Vladimiras smiled wryly." A wise man always takes his decisions based on different reasons, but I can assure you that your wellbeing is one of them. Come on! Do you care about your stepbrother 's possibilities to marry Queen Elsa?"

"I don't care either way, but I only want to return to the Plains. I feel locked up in this place surrounded by mountains. In Arendelle the only way to see the horizon is to take a boat and go out to sea. I need to be in the middle of the Plains and feel the wind on my face. A wind that comes from hundreds of miles away, and nobody has breathed it before. And besides, Hadick wants to promote me as first captain. The sooner I leave Arendelle the better."

"Your love for the Plains is a proof of your..." Vladimiras started to reply, but in that moment a man approached and entered in the path which headed towards the gazebo.

Erick raised to his feet and started to talk in French."Prince Vladimiras let me present Corrado Giura."

Vladimiras also get up, and both men shook hands scrutinizing warily to each other.

"Yes" Said Erick at Corrado. "He is the man who commanded the Lithuanian army during the siege." After saying that he turned towards Vladimiras. "Corrado commanded the construction of the fortifications, I was in charge of protecting his men while working."

"I lost a lot of men and time in the defences you made." Said the Lithuanian Princes with a respectful tone of voice.

"If it's any comfort to you, you didn't loss event half the men I planned when preparing the defense." Replied the engineer slightly bowing his head.

"We were examining this chess board. Have you been playing with somebody." Asked Erick to Corrado.

Corrado take a brief glance at the board."This board belongs to Queen Elsa, I suppose that she and her sister have been playing this evening before the reception."

"And who is the black player, Princess Anna?."Asked the young captain.

Corrado studied the position of the figures in the board. "Beyond a doubt, Queen Elsa."

Erick clicked his tongue."Vladimiras, She is as clever as you said."

"She is more intelligent than you can imagine." Replied Corrado stiffening." Let's go home. It's late."

"Erick, don't you sleep in the castle during the conference?" Asked the Lithuanian Prince. "It's strange. You are the son of an Imperial Duke. Even being an adopted son you should have been assigned a room in the castle."

"And I have one, but I dislike to be too close to Kings and Queens. I stay at Corrado's." Replied the young hussar.

Vladimiras shook his head and raised his eyes to the sky while both men left the gazebo through the narrow path. Once alone, Vladimiras thought about Erick's words regarding the Queen of Arendelle. The young captain strongly disliked anything regarding the court, but it was true that the celebrations were excessive. Maybe the Queen was intelligent but frivolous? Vladimiras gazed to the chessboard as if the black pieces could tell him something about Queen Elsa's character.


	14. Dawn

The first light of the day woke Anna up. Elsa used to leave the curtains opened to let the day in at dawn, so the young Queen was sure to wake up early. Anna had gone to Elsa's bedroom the night before and both sisters have been talking until they felt asleep. They have been together all night, but now Anna was alone in Elsa's bed. The princess raised her head from the pillow and searched for her sister.

The Queen of Arendelle was in the balcony, from which she could see almost the entire castle. She was waving her hands and the ice vaults and the other structures thawed forming great columns that raised to the sky. Anna approached quietly to the door of the balcony, remembering the great thaw a year ago when Elsa freed Arendelle from the unnatural winter which she had created.

When all the ice had been removed, Elsa looked to a great sheet of paper opened in front of her on a table. She waved her hands again and the ice started to form. Elsa had explained Anna that waving her hands wasn't really necessary, everything was in her head, but waving helped concentration.

Elsa raised both hands and two great square towers formed at every side of the main keep, with a whirling movement of her hands a finial appeared in each corner of their roofs. The Queen of Arendelle slowly spread her arms, and from each tower departed a colonnade parallel to the nearby section of the castle walls, the entablature of the columns leaned on the walls and was topped by great human sculptures in renaissance style which gazed down on the courtyard. Elsa's movements were confident and graceful, all tension from the night before had disappeared. Anna liked to watch her sister while she was using her powers. Elsa showed a wonderful passion usually concealed.

When the colonnades were completed Elsa turned around, and realized Anna's presence. The young Queen was beaming, all her sorrows had vanished using her powers. Anna could't help smiling back. With a wave of her hand Elsa invited Anna to come closer. When Anna was by Elsa, the elder sister, with a proud expression on her face, spread her hands and slowly put them together. When her hands joined, both towers at each side were connected with the main keep through two flat roofs that covered the gardens, each roof was divided in two sections being the one near the keep higher than the other. The join between the roof and the keep was done through a low sloped roof which connected with the steeper roof of the keep.

Anna was delighted, she had been sleeping when Elsa made the first ice castle, and she had missed the spectacle, and seeing the joy of Elsa doing it have been the best part. The sun was rising, but Arendelle and the encampments after the celebration were still sleeping.

Elsa wore her usual ice blue dress with the long snowflake cape, but her hair was loose. She hadn't have time to arrange it. Anna realized that she still wore the dress used in the reception. She had fallen sleep while they were talking, and had forgotten to take it off. Anna looked at her clothes, the dress looked a terrible sight and will take a long time to remove creases from it.

Elsa saw her sister's look and made a knowing smile."I also fell asleep with my clothes on. Yesterday was a hard day, and the night was even harder."

Both sisters looked into each other eyes. "I'm am sorry" Said Anna. "It was my fault."

"What do you mean?" Replied Elsa in surprise.

"I must have been with you in the ball. It wasn't a good idea to leave you alone."

"I'm old enough to be alone Anna, and I told you to leave."

"You are not used to be among so many people, Elsa."

"The problem wasn't the quantity but the quality of the people." Said Elsa. "Let's change the subject,please."

Anna gave a look to the great sheet of paper on the table in front of her sister. It was a blue print of the castle with the added ice structures. At the side of the table was Elsa's drawings holder, a leather case with Elsa's projects inside, the new harbor, the gardens, the inland colonies... Anna remembered the long discussions between them about the gardens. Elsa wanted French style gardens with its perfect geometric forms. Anna, instead, preferred the English style, simulating a natural environment." What is it?" Asked Anna nodding towards the big sheet of paper.

"Blenheim Palace from England. Since they were the second delegation to be received it was appropriate."

Anna beheld the impressive new ice forms over the castle. A sly smile appeared on her face."Confess it, you enjoy making the ice castles. You are using the official receptions as an excuse. And I understand you, it is magnificent!"

The right corner of Elsa's mouth quirked upward. "I have to recognize that I'm quite pleased to use the drafts of your wedding decoration."

"My what!" Asked Anna in surprise.

Elsa's eyes widened. "Eh... I mean..." She replied confused.

"You have been preparing the ornaments of my wedding! Why didn't you say anything?"

"It was supposed to be a surprise." Replied Elsa in an irritated tone of voice, biting her lower lip. After using her powers in such a grand scale, she always was too elated, lowering her guard.

"And you have used the decoration of my wedding for the receptions!" Exclaimed Anna gaping at Elsa.

"Of course not!" Replied Elsa indignant. "I saved the best one, I have only used the discarded drafts!"

Anna gazed at the leather case on the floor. She could recognize the different projects in the case due to Elsa's habit of marking with a little colored seal the sheets of each project, blue for the harbor, green for the gardens, and white for a group of sheets that she had never seen before. The same color was in the seal of the sheet over the table.

Elsa quickly closed the leather case. "Keep your hands off it" She said, with a feigned severe tone of voice and a mischievous smile on her face.

"Come on Elsa! Let me see!" Asked Anna, giggling and reaching for the case.

"You should wait your wedding day!" Replied Elsa, keeping away the leather case from Anna's hands.

The joy suddenly disappeared from their faces. Anna's wedding day wasn't a desired event any more, instead an ominous sensation was now related with it. Both sister remained silent for a moment. Elsa stared at the sad expression on Anna's face.

"I'm sorry." Said Elsa, handing Anna the leather case.

Anna gazed at the case, Elsa's snowflake was carved on its cover. Elsa had never allowed anybody to peep at her projects, and Anna had always wondered what she could find inside.

Anna shook her head. "No. You're right. I will see it the day I marry Kristoff. But now what? Yesterday I was worried about you. You seemed about to …" Anna didn't complete the phrase when she saw Elsa's expression. "Come with me!" Said Anna, entering into the bedroom."I will comb you hair." Anna took Elsa's brush and signaled Elsa to sit on a chair.

Elsa followed her sister and seated at her dressing table and Anna started to comb her long hair. "Are you sure that Elias is the candidate to your hand? Maybe you misunderstood..."

"Beyond a doubt, he is the candidate." Stated Elsa, closing her eyes and relaxing under the gentle touch of Anna's hands.

Anna doubted for a second."And what about the French dignitary, has he been more sensible to our position. "

"He explained even less than the English. He blamed England for the situation and Avoided any responsibility, and that horrible woman at his side." Elsa pushed aside a wisp of her bangs. "But Elias or Madam Gonzaga aren't the problem. Both delegates of the great powers are deaf to whatever we have to say. This is the problem! My worst fear has come true!"

"Your worst fear? Do you anticipate that? Why don't you explained it to me?" Asked Anna.

"I already told you! We don't have a valid information network. I work with rumors, fragmented information, guesses, deductions, trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with only half the pieces."

"But you didn't explain me anything."

"How? How could I tell you that our options were so scarce. It's a difficult thing to explain if you aren't sure. I might be wrong. I fear to scare you without a real reason. It's the first time I face a situation like this." Elsa said the last words in a loud voice, almost shouting.

Anna gazed at her sister in silence through the great mirror of the dressing table in front of them.

Elsa took her head between her hands, leaning her elbows on the table. "I'm sorry. I suppose I wasn't brave enough to tell you the truth. I was sure or I wanted to believe that I could find a solution, but I don't have information enough!"

Anna shook her head and hugged her sister from behind. "Calm down Elsa, take it easy. You aren't going to give up, are you?" Asked Anna, his face was calm, but her voice dropped to a whisper in the last question.

Elsa pulled herself together, raised her head, and gazed at Anna's eyes through her reflection in the mirror. "No." Said her eventually. "But our options are reducing. I need more information about the delegates, more personal information."

"Why?" Asked Anna, starting to braid Elsa's hair. Elsa's relaxed again, leaning back on the chair and closing her eyes.

"Our father explained me that people often forget the person behind the diplomat, but sometimes, the personal feelings of the person in front of you are the key. As the official position of their countries is a dead end, we must search other options."

"But they just represent their countries interests."

"This is the theory, but reality is that they also have their own interest and those interest may be the key for a successful negotiation. It's the only way I can see if both delegates ignore us, we should find out something that impel them to talk with us."

"What about Corrado's maneuver? Is it still necessary?"

"I think that all our efforts will be useless without it."

"Are you sure? We will be in real trouble, if the English discover us."

"I'm not sure about anything!" Was Elsa's curtly reply."I'm walking in the dark. But I have the feeling that it will be necessary."

Anna was surprised by Elsa's sincerity. She was really affected by the events of the last evening. Until now, Elsa have given him just vague explanations about the whole picture. "And what do you know of Halkett and Mullon?"

"I don't have much information. Halkett is well connected with England's industrial circles, and he had strong bonds with Westergard, but his personal interest aren't well known. Mullon is a young man, he has a reputation as diplomat, but his private life, interests and even relatives are completely unknown. It seems as if he was hiding something. I have to work again with rumors and guesses, but with more lost pieces in the jigsaw puzzle."

"I have a possible solution." Said Anna."I talked with Alan Halkett and Kurt von Schrader."

"The nephews of Lord Howart and von Schrader?" Asked Elsa, frowning.

"Yes, they are gentler than their uncles."

"I'm sure of that. They don't need to be otherwise."

"I will show them the ruins of the old watchtower this afternoon."

"You what?" Exclaimed Elsa in surprise, opening her eyes.

Anna was concentrated in Elsa's braid and took her time to give an answer."Kurt is an encyclopaedist and he is very interested in the old Scandinavian fortresses. "

"Why do you have to go with them? Every guard knows where the remains of the old fortress are."

"I know that, but you told me that we need every bit of information about the English intentions."

"I see. Do you thought that maybe they know something about the intentions of their uncles."

"And maybe we can get something about Lord Halkett. There's is only one way to know it. And look on the bright side, none of them is a candidate for any of us."

Elsa giggled. "You are right. May I come with you?"

"Of course." Was Anna's quick and surprised reply.

"Maybe we can get something useful, and after dealing with the delegates it will be a relieve."

"This morning, we could pay a visit to Corrado." Said Anna warily.

Elsa frowned in a mute question, she was surprised by the sudden change of subject.

"He has to explain you the problems he found in the construction of the north pier."

"He can explain them here, in the castle, and I have a meeting with Kai and the barons about the taxes for the next year."

"Is it a delicate meeting?"

"Taxes are always delicate. The Barons are always delicate. Combining both of them is a dangerous experiment."

"Could I come?"

"Why?"

"I want to help you in the issues of the kingdom, but I can't if you don't teach me. Our father started to take you to meetings of this type when you were fifteen years old! I promise that I will just sit and listen!"

Elsa looked at Anna for a long while. Anna was tense, Elsa had always refused to let Anna to attend that kind of meetings."All right." She accepted at last. "Maybe it is the best, but if you want to say anything, you should explain it to me first."

"Thank you!" Said Anna beaming.

"Await to the end of the meeting to express your gratitude." Replied Elsa with a wry smile on her face.

"Is it going to be so hard?"

"Since the death of our parents until my coronation day the Barons got used to the absence of a King in Arendelle. It is difficult to put them under control again." The Barons were the rulers of the little fiords nearby to Arendelle. They were independent domains but subjected to the rule of the King, or Queen, of Arendelle.

Anna's eyes widened. "You never told me anything about those conflicts!"

"Until the conference, they were a minor nuisance. it was unnecessary to bother you with them."

"Of course it was necessary!" Said Anna, raising her voice in anger. "Elsa I want to help you but you don't let me."

"You already help me! The visits to the neighbor kingdoms, the organization of the inland expeditions, the new harbor you have a god deal of responsibilities."

"I am not a child. You don't have to protect me anymore."

Elsa took a deep breath. "Well,I fear that it will be out of my control anyway. From now on, you will be at my side in all the important meetings. It's that enough."

"Yes." Replied Anna, a bit worried by Elsa's words about being out of her control. Elated by her triumph, she went on with the next point she had in her mind. "And what about the visit to Corrado?"

"We will be busy this morning." Replied Elsa, but Anna could tell that she was undecided.

"It's very early. We have plenty of time, and it is a nice stroll." Protested Anna. "So you could decide a solution for Corrado's problems with the north pier, he could make progress in the works, and you could play a chess game with him." Went on Anna, trying to hit a soft spot in Elsa. Anna insisted so much because she could tell that her sister was really affected by the last night events. She was sure that a chess game would cheer her up, and Corrado was the best player in Arendelle. The day before, the game between both sisters had finished quickly when Elsa stated, and demonstrated, that she would have take Anna's king in two moves, whatever she could have done. Corrado would be a more hard, and interesting, nut to crack. "Finished!" Said Anna after putting the last touch to Elsa's long braid.

Elsa looked her hair at the mirror. "Thank you" She said, turning her head and smiling at her sister.

"Can we go to see Corrado? Please, I want to get rid of all those newcomers. We have plenty of time to arrive on time to the meeting." Said Anna, putting an exaggerated pleading face.

"All right, let's go." Said Elsa after looking for a while her sister's face, controlling a burst of laughter as best she could. "But first, I..."Elsa stopped and continued stressing the first word. "...WE have to met King Konrad."

"Hans brother!" Replied Anna with a grimace.

"Yes." Replied Elsa."He asked for a meeting in private and we set an appointment this morning. Come with me. Please!" That was Elsa's turn to put a pleading face. She imitated so well Anna's previous expression that her sister couldn't help burst in laughter, quickly followed by Elsa. Both sisters leaned on each other, laughing as if their lives depend on it.


	15. The Southern Isles Option

Anna and Elsa met King Konrad of the Southern Isles when he was going out of a room with Mullon. When he saw Elsa, Konrad left the french delegate and approached her. "Good morning Queen Elsa, may I talk with you?"

"Of course King Konrad". Said Elsa, giving a quick glance at Mullon, who was now talking with Ladislas the imperial delegate. She also saw madam Gonzaga. The French woman was seated in a couch in the hall. From that position she had been able to watch the door of the room where Mullon have been talking with Konrad, and now she was watching the conversation with Ladislas.

Elsa felt a shiver running down her spine. "If I try to talk with Mullon she will meddle, that's for sure." Thought Elsa. "Anyway I doubt he would be willing to talk with me even if I could avoid that Cerberus."

"Queen Elsa?" Said Konrad, interrupting Elsa's thoughts.

Elsa turned her attention at the King of the Southern isles. "I'm sorry King Konrad. I will be glad to talk with you. We may use the songbirds room, please come with me." Elsa leaded Konrad to a little room. Its walls were covered with paintings of little birds from which the room took its name.

Konrad let Elsa pass and Elsa nodded to Anna to enter with her. Konrad cleared his throat. "I expected to talk in private."

"Whatever you have to tell me,you can tell to both of us." Replied Elsa and entered in the room followed by her sister. Konrad entered after them.

"First and foremost I want to present my excuses for the behavior of my youngest brother. What Hans tried to make to you and your sister is a shame for me and my family."

"You and your relatives cannot be judged by Hans' behavior. Tell me, is he being well treated?"

"As well as a man in his circumstances could expect. He is confined in a little country house by the sea. A beautiful place that we expect can do a positive effect over him. We have assigned a priest to his personal service and me and my brother pay him a visit as often as we can."

"Thanks for handling so well such a delicate issue."

"It was my duty. I wanted to met you before, but different issues always required my attention and now I have to met you in unfair circumstances."

"Unfair?"

"Yes, unfair. England's actions are an interference in internal Norwegian affairs. Unless you have promoted this conference. Have you.?"

"I am sure that you already know the answer." Replied Elsa.

"The problem is that we are little countries, without real power. Our neighbors manipulate us at their will. I am working to solve that."

"What are you talking about?"

"About unification. A unified Norway would be strong enough to avoid foreign interferences."

"Are you sure that we will be strong enough to keep at bay a country as powerful as England?"

"We should deal with England influence anyway but it would not be so overwhelming."

"And I suppose that you would claim the throne of the unified Norway for your own house."

"Westergard is one of the oldest royal houses in Norway second only to Arendelle and the more powerful. But I thought in the house of Arendelle-Westergard to take that role."

"If you are proposing a marriage to unify both houses you are in the right place. But I fear you are talking with the wrong person. The decision have been taken from my hands." Said Elsa in an ironic tone of voice.

"They are trying to convince you that you are unarmed against them. But you can do a public declaration of your desire to marry me in order to join both houses. So they couldn't force you to marry with another person."

"Maybe you are right but the English will start a blockade before we could finish our wedding vows."

"Not, if we have the support of enough countries."

"Have you get the support of France and the Empire? They have their own interests regarding this issue."

"I am working on it. Please, think about my proposition. I am sorry to present it to you in such a complex situation. I had planned to pay you a visit and try to handle it in a more appropriate mood, but owing to circumstances beyond my control it has been impossible. In fact, I meant to be in your coronation day, but I broke my leg ridding, and after the wedding other matters required my personal attention."

Konrad remembered those troubled days. The army of Westergard had been doing maneuvers to show to a petty neighbor the power of the Southern isles, and Konrad leaded the army. It should have been a minor issue, just an entertainment before Arendelle's coronation ceremony.

In a steep pass through the mountains, he had fallen from the saddle, breaking his right leg. So he had to stay in a remote outpost for two weeks, before he could be moved to the capital. Here, he could recover while suffering Stephan's constant recriminations for spoiling his arrangements with the English. Even the English dignitary declined to go to Elsa's coronation.

After that, the unnatural winter fired the alarms in London, and when Konrad was ready to go to Arendelle in order to get Queen Elsa's hand, the English clearly stated that the join of both crowns wasn't a good idea any more.

"I will pay special attention to you proposal." Elsa gently replied.

"Please, think about your duty towards Norway."

"King Konrad, Norway doesn't exists." Replied Elsa.

"You are right, but its future existence depends on your decision."

Elsa gazed King Konrad's face, the man looked sincere and honest. But she remembered the night, months ago, when she had explained the English intentions to Anna. Her sister had just arrived from a visit to a friendly Kingdom, and she wanted to hold a conference in Arendelle to mediate between that Kingdom and an aggressive third country which was Westergard. The affairs, which had kept King Konrad away from Arendelle, have been threatening a pacific and smaller country. Elsa hadn't trusted the King of the Southern Isles before the meeting, but after talking with him, she felt a strong disdain for his hypocrisy.

"As I have said, I will pay special attention to your proposal, but now we have to leave." said Elsa raising from her chair.

"Thank you for your time." Replied Konrad, rising on his feet and strolling up to the door.

Anna have been silent for all the meeting, since she felt inhibited by Konrand. His remarkable likeness with Hans was enough to provoke strong emotions in Anna, and she preferred not talking so as not to say any inconvenience due to the intense and odd emotions she was feeling. She feared to not be fair with Westergard's King.

But when Konrad was about to leave, Elsa turned around to get her drawings case and her snowflake cape touched Kings Konrad's hand. In the face of the King appeared an expression of repugnance, although he pulled himself together in a heartbeat. Elsa's frost cape with its immaterial transparency was Elsa's powers most visible symbol. How could a man who was trying to marry a woman, have such reaction at her contact? Anna supposed that King Conrad loathed Elsa's powers, but he wanted so much a unified Norway under his power that he would marry Arendelle's Queen anyway. "How he dare even to look at her in such a way." Thought Anna in a sudden burst of anger.

When Konrad left the room, Elsa sighed, left the leather case in the floor and seated in the chair again. Both sister gazed one to each other. "It's the second King or King to be who ask me to save a country without even pronounce the word 'wife', let alone 'love'." Said Elsa with a brave but humorless smile on her face.

"Maybe is the best way to handle this issues." Replied Anna. "Yesterday I had a talk with one of my candidates in the ball. He maintained that we would soon fall in love with each other. Truth to be told, I prefer this way, since it doesn't seem so stupid." Elsa raised her eyebrows in surprise at the comment.

"At least he takes your opinion into account." Went on Anna.

"He speaks with us because I'm his last hope. The house of Westergard has been trying to unify Norway under his command, using all the means available to them. And they didn't care if those methods were fair or unfair. England used to support his maneuvers, although I have an inkling that they have fallen into disfavor with the English. His courtesy comes from despair, since he can't get what he wants from Lord Halkett."

Anna's eyes blinked with the unusual amount of information provided by Elsa.

"Do you think the same about Prince Vladimiras?"

"No. He is fully aware that I don't have the slightest influence into deciding my future husband, hence I'm sure he was sincerely interested in knowing me. He is a quite interesting person, and his assurance is extraordinary."

"At least your preferences are clear." Said Anna smiling.

"I have just said that he is an interesting person, anyway my personal preferences won't be taken into account. Elsa pushed aside a strand of her bangs."Let's go Anna. I want to scape from the castle before the Bavarian candidate ask me to save his country from Prussian and Austrian influence." She said getting up and went close to the door.

After the meeting with the Queen, Konrad returned to his rooms to fetch his brother. Stephan was in the little office which had been assigned to their exclusive use. Konrad's younger brother was seated on a desk by the window. "Had he brought the desk from Westergard?" thought Konrad.

"I have spoken with the french. He wants to make an alliance of all the powers against the English." Said Konrad after closing the door behind him.

"And what had you replied." Asked Stephan without raising his eyes from the document he was reading.

"Lord Halkett has sent us to hell, with educated words, but to hell anyway."

"His words were..."

"I don't care about the exact words, only about its significance with him we are out of the Arendelle business."

"And with Mullon you may be out of your throne."

"They wouldn't dare to invade Westergard."

"They shouldn't bother. Our nobles are resentful enough to revolt against you if the English suggest that they will support them."

"They owe me fidelity."

"We have been draining their wealth and reducing their privileges in order to get power enough to support our policy on Norway. It was the right decision, but it has its consequences. We should be smart enough to don't force the issue."

"If I marry Queen Elsa, Norway would be mine. It's worth the risk!"

"If Mullon is going to made an alliance of all the powers, why he would take you in account for Elsa's hand. He will depend on a lot of more important people to satisfy, and sincerely Anna is a poor compensation for taking such risk." Stephan took off his glasses and looked at her brother, leaning both elbows on the desk.

"Because I'm going to get a declaration from Elsa that she wants to join both crowns through our marriage. So Arendelle will join to the french alliance through us, and Mullon will agree to our desires."

"Why? The french may break his word once he gets what he wants or get Arendelle alliance by easier ways. And anyway you have to convince the sweet Queen Elsa about doing that silly declaration you are planning."

"I have already talked with Elsa about the declaration."

"And what have the Queen said about your proposal?"

"She is a woman and things like this are too much for her. Her sole interest was to pretend that she cares about Hans." Konrad scornfully said. "She got frightened and doubted that I could get the French and imperial support to protect us against England."

"I also doubt it, and I am not a woman. I believe she is more sensible than you. Or maybe she don't want to marry you." Stephan said the last words in an ironic tone of voice.

"Why not? She is twenty two years old and I forty seven, it's a perfect match!" Konrad stiffened at Stephan's words.

"It was just a joke, anyway I have my doubts about all this issue of the alliance with the french."

"The English have bitten more than they can chew. The french are more aggressive than expected. Lord Halkett won't be able to handle a second crisis in Scandinavia."

"Aggressive? Have the french invaded any country?"

Konrad looked confused at his younger brother.

"This is only diplomatic smoke, and the first breeze, which swell out the sail of the royal navy, will fade it away ."

"We are not alone. I have talk with Bishop Bodo, and he was really interested in my suggestions about the future of Arendelle."

"That craven! He was the perfect ally when we were handling a local issue. He would always have given support to the strongest side, and we were the strongest side. But now, with England and France quarreling for the spoils of Arendelle, we are just a minor player. He is such a fool that he hasn't realized the new situation, but he will fade away even before than the French." Stephan shook his head.

"Anyway we have an opportunity. "

"You lost your opportunity when you break your leg in that silly trip with the army. The right moment was in Elsa's coronation ceremony, and I had worked hard with the English to make it possible. It was going to be the most important moment of your reign. Elsa was ripe for being picked, but you spoil it. Now it's impossible." Stephan banged his fist on the desk, saying the last words.

Konrad glared at his brother in silent. "The situation isn't so serious. Hans didn't succeed in his attempt to take Arendelle's throne. He tried on his own to take advantage of my accident but he failed."

Stephan snorted with anger. "I would sincerely prefer Hans in Arendelle's throne than the current situation. Hans would have founded a Westergard dynasty in Arendelle which would have supported us."

"I don't share your opinion, it would have delayed one generation the unification of Norway."

"Under your command! Is this your only worry?" Sarcastically asked Stephan. He ignored Konrad glare and went on."If you want to take my advice forget it. Concentrate our resources in the lesser kingdoms and marry your heir with the future heir of Arendelle. Elsa will disappear in a forgotten corner of Europe and her crown will pass to a less difficult heir at her dead."

"That means that Norway won't be unified during my lifetime."

"Maybe it will be under your son."

I can't accept that. History don't remember gentle parents. I have worked too much in it and I have sacrificed too much."

"I have also worked on it as much as you, and I don't want to lose everything."

"You don't want? Maybe you have to remember who is the king and who take the final decision." After saying that, Konrad leave the room. Stephan remained in the room, unable to continue working with the document he had been reading before.

Elsa was in the gardens enjoying the fresh air of the morning. Anna had gone to see Kristoff before leaving for Corrado's, and Elsa was waiting for her. She was going towards the little gazebo where both sisters have been playing a chess game yesterday, when she saw the tall Spanish soldier in his dark green jacket.

Elias was seated in a nearby stone bench under a dogwood full of white flowers. He had been playing with the fallen flowers on the dirt and Pedro was cleaning his hands with a handkerchief.

Elsa's first reaction was to run away from them, but then she saw Elias' confused expression and how the soldier was unsuccessfully trying to calm down him while cleaning his hands. Elsa noticed a surprising affection in the soldier's attitude. She couldn't help feeling pity for Elias. He looked as helpless and frightened as the night before. Elsa hesitated for a moment, but in the end, though unsure of what she was going to do, the young Queen went close to the tall soldier.

"Do you speak French?" Asked Elsa.

"Yes, Queen Elsa." Replied the soldier.

"What's your name?"

"Pedro."

"He is a tight-lipped man" thought Elsa. "How is Elias? Is he better than yesterday?"

The man looked at Elsa, his face was unreadable. "He is not used to be out of his home. Travels always bother him and here, full of people speaking strange languages, it's worse."

The man speech was difficult to understand. He mixed French with non French words and had a thick accent. "Maybe he doesn't speak too much because he is not used to speak in French." Thought Elsa, but something in the Spanish soldier attitude suggested that he never spoke too much.

"My sister saw him walking alone through Arendelle."

"He tried to escape. Elias don't realize that he is far away from home and he wanted to return to his usual life."

"Just like me." Thought Elsa."I want to return to my little Kingdom, when my worries were related with improving Arendelle's wellbeing and the international politics were far away ." Elsa gazed at Elias. "Do he speak in French?"

"He speaks it with madam Gonzaga."

"May I talk with him?" Asked Elsa to Pedro.

"Of course." Replied him.

Elsa approached to the young man. He looked warily at her, but with curiosity.

Elsa stopped in front of him. "Hello Elias. My name is Elsa. May I sit?"

"Yes. Are you Queen Elsa?"

"Yes. I'm Queen Elsa." Answered Elsa while sitting by Elias. "You have found a lovely place to stay." Elsa looked up at the branches covered with flowers over their heads.

Elias give a glance to the great tree."It remembers me the great chestnut in my home and the white flowers are like the almond trees in blossom."

"It should be a beautiful place."

"Yes. It is. It has a lot of gardens like your castle. I like gardens and strolling through them." The young man shyly smiled at Elsa.

"And do you like my gardens?"

"Yes! They are pretty. The castle is also pretty. And you, you are also very pretty."

"Thank you, Elias. That's very kind of you." Elsa couldn't help smile, he was so innocent as a child.

"My mother says that we are going to marry."

"And he is also as bold as a child." Thought Elsa, more amused than worried."Do you like the idea?"

Elias thought for a while before answer."I don't know. I have never married before."

"It's a good response." Said Elsa, laughing.

"You are the first person who asked it to me. And you? Do you like it?"

Elsa hesitated in surprise for a moment. "Well, you are also the first person who asked it to me. I suppose we are in a similar situation."

"Don't you know? It's normal. marrying is a very important decision." Elias said that with a grave expression on his face, trying to give importance to his words.

"How charming! I wish the English and French dignitaries would know it also." Thought Elsa, smiling softly at the young Spaniard.

The Queen and the child went on with their talk under the shade of the flowered tree which protected them of the morning sun. A few meters apart, Pedro gazed at them in silence.


	16. An incomplete chess game

Kristoff was brushing Sven's fur. He had brushed him the night before when he had returned from their night hike. But it had been a quick brushing, now Kristoff was taking his time while chattering with his old friend.

"I wish you had seen them. All this soldiers and diplomats arrived from all Europe crowded into the main hall and Ana and Elsa standing in front of them as if they were used to make it every day."

The reindeer gazed at the mountain man and grunted.

"Of course I knew that they were going to do it well, but..."

At that moment, Anna entered into the stable. She had changed his dress after the meeting with Konrad, since she preferred simpler clothes. "I guessed I would find you here." She said beaming at Kristoff and the reindeer. Anna hugged Sven's head. "I miss you."

Elsa had been adamant in that point. Sven and Olaf must hide away from the newcomers. Olaf had went with Marshmallow, his brother, to the North Mountain. Sven had left Arendelle to wander about the nearby woods where he met with Kristoff now and then. Today was resting in the stables after helping Kristoff.

"I really miss you." Repeated Anna, stroking Sven's mane. She was realizing how she missed him. Arendelle was a quite different world without the snow man and the reindeer, specially when they had been replaced by a bunch of soldiers and diplomats.

Anna left Sven and turned towards Kristoff, taking him to a corner of the stable. "I have news." Said the young princess and, after looking around to be sure that nobody was in the stable, explained all the conversation with Elsa."

"Sometimes, I think she doesn't trust me." Exclaimed Anna after the long explanation.

Kristoff shook his head. "I don't believe it. She is just being overprotective. She has been protecting you all her live one way or another. She can't change in just a year. Maybe she never will change."

"I suppose you are right, but she shouldn't bear the brunt of the Kingdom alone. We have talk about of it a lot of times."

"It isn't an easy task changing your sister's mind."

" I'm a princess of Arendelle and I also have my responsibilities, and I don't want to avoid them."

"Yes, I know." Kristoff thoughtfully said, averting his eyes.

Anna looked at her boyfriend, intrigued by Kristoff's attitude. "What are you thinking about?"

"If you... I mean I was thinking about Elsa's estrange phrase when you were talking about the external Barons."

"When she said that something was going to be out of her control? Yes I also wondered what she was talking about. Do you believe that she fears a rebellion of the Barons?"

Kristoff meditated on that possibility for a while. "No. I don't believe that. I suppose she was talking about protecting you."

"What do you mean?"

"She feared that she won't be able to protect you any more."

"Why?"

"Because she will be far away with the husband chosen by the English and the French."

Anna took a deep breath." That's why Elsa had let me in on the meetings. Because in a short time, I will have to be able to manage the Kingdom on my own."

"It's possible."

Anna was astounded. If Elsa was accepting the possibility of being forced to marry, what it could mean for Kristoff and her? She had been overjoyed by her sister decision to accept her in the meetings, but now it seemed a sentence.

"What are you going to do?" Asked Kristoff with an intense gaze in his eyes.

Anna could tell by Kristoff's expression that the question was important. Deep inside herself she felt that a lot of things were at stake, and everything depended on her reply. She leaned on a wooden pole which supported the roof, and gazed back at Kristoff. "I will learn as quick as I can anything my sister would teach me." Finally, Anna answered, feeling her heart tear apart.

Kristoff lowered his eyes, but Anna took his head with both hands and, raising his face, kissed him. "I'm sorry." She softly said.

Kristoff embraced Anna and they kissed again. She couldn't avoid a soft moan when she felt his lips over her mouth, but her eyes were watering. They remained closely embraced for a long while, their mouths slowly moving over their faces. Eventually they stop kissing and gazed at each other, still embraced. Anna saw a tear trickling down Kristoff's cheek. She couldn't tell if it came from her eyes or from Kristoff.

"Anna I..." Started to say Kristoff, but in this moment the door of the stable was flung open and a French cuirassier came in. He stopped when he saw them and, with a faint smile in his face,went back, closing the door behind him.

Anna and Kristoff had parted when the door had opened. "I have to go with my sister, she is waiting for me. We have to go to Corrado's home." Panted Anna when the door was closed again.

"Of course. I will get your horses ready." Replied Kristoff in a faltering voice.

"Thank you." Said Anna, slowly walking backward towards the door. Once out of the stable, she took a deep breath and went away, heading towards the gazebo where she and her sister had planned to meet. Halfway there, she noticed the strange couple under the dogwood.

She went closer, gazing at her elder sister in astonishment. Elsa appeared very comfortable in Elias' company. She had a soft smile on her face and paid close attention to his explanations.

"Princess Anna."

Anna was surprised by the sudden interruption. She had been so fascinated gazing at her sister that she didn't realize the presence of the dark green clad Spanish soldier.

"Hello..." Anna was about to ask permission, but on second thought, she decided that she was in her home and she didn't want to ask permission to any newcomer. "I want to talk with my sister." She completed the phrase in a formal tone of voice.

Elsa noticed Anna's presence and got up. "Elias, I have to leave, but I hope we could talk again another day"

Elias smiled. "Me too."

Elsa leaned in and kissed Elias cheek on a sudden impulse, then went close to Pedro and her younger sister. "These days, here are too many people strolling in this gardens. I will talk with my seneschal to grant you permission to enter in our private gardens. So you could go with Elias if he felt uncomfortable and needed peace and quiet."

"Thank you Queen Elsa." Replied Pedro bowing his head.

Both sisters headed towards the stable for their horses.

"Why were you talking with him? Do you believe that you can get any useful information?" Anna asked.

"From Elias? Of course not! He is like a child." Replied Elsa in surprise.

"And then? Why were you so fond chattering with him?"

Elsa hesitated for a second. "I don't know. He is so helpless that I couldn't help it. He is confused in a strange world and I tried to offer him a friendly voice in the middle of strangers." Elsa shrugged."In the end, he is in a situation similar to us."

Anna thought about her sister's words, turning her head towards the great dogwood. She saw Elias waving at them. "I suppose you are right. They are treating him as us." Said Anna waving back at Elias.

"I fear that it is more correct to say that they are treating us as poor Elias." Was Elsa's joyless response.

They reached the stables where Kristoff had already saddled their horses. A spirited white horse for Anna and a very calm mare for Elsa, since the elder sister didn't have neither the fondness nor the skill of her younger sister for horses.

Kristoff helped Elsa, holding the reins. "Are you fine?" He asked to Elsa.

"I'm fine Kristoff." Said Elsa, bravely smiling from her horse.

"I'm glad to hear it. Enjoy the walk girls." He said with a last look at Anna.

Once out of the castle Elsa turned to talk with Anna. "What do you think of Konrad?"

"I'm not very good judging the members of his house, do you remember?" Replied Anna surprised at the unusual question.

"Maybe, but I want to know your opinion. What do you think about him?"

Anna hesitated for a second. She didn't want to comment the incident of the cape, since Elsa was worried enough about people's reaction to her powers; however she decided that it was important enough to be explained.

"So he was afraid of my powers. What a wonderful couple we would make!" Said Elsa after Anna's explanations. The young Queen tried to seem ironic, but his smile was joyless. "Maybe it could be useful to keep him at bay if we eventually married."

"Are you joking!" Exclaimed Anna." He has told us what we want to hear. Just like Hans always did. Until he took the mask off. He is so treacherous and vile as his younger brother."

"It's true. But it's also true that in a unified Norway my daughters, if any, maybe wouldn't be forced to marry a stranger."

"Elsa! What are you talking about? Are you seriously considering his offer?"

Elsa hesitated for a moment."Anyway, I don't believe that France or the Empire will support him." Elsa said at last and remained silent, lost in her thoughts, the rest of the way.

Corrado's home was a little house on a steep hill by the fiord and near the new harbor. The place had wonderful views over the fiord and the building work on the harbor, the jewel of Elsa's efforts to improve Arendelle. Both sisters leaded their horses to the front of the house searching for the old engineer. Anna couldn't help worrying about Elsa. She was passive and isolated, engrossed in her own thoughts.

Anna got down from her horse near the door. "Corrado." She said while knocking at the open door. "Anna was about to call Corrado louder when they heard the sounds of a discussion in a strange language from the back of the house.

"What is happening here?" Elsa asked Elsa in surprise. Corrado liked to be on his own and it was strange that he was in his home with somebody not related with the construction of the harbor. "What language are they speaking?" Asked Elsa.

"I guess it is Italian." Answered Anna.

"Italian?" Where have Corrado found a compatriot?"

"Maybe he has found an old acquaintance in the imperial delegation" When Elsa frowned, Anna quickly added."I doubt that they were doing any kind of conspiracy. They are talking too loud."

She was right, they were shouting at the top of their lungs. "Corrado." Said Elsa in loud voice, without response. Both sister went to the back of the house and found Corrado quarreling with a young soldier who wore black trousers and white shirt, a black jacket and a black cap with a silver death's head were on a chair. Anna and Elsa recognized Captain Erick Simonyi. Both were seated at a little table under a tree in the garden rear the house. They had a chess board on the table with pieces on it.

Erick was the first to realize the presence of both sisters and get up. Corrado turned and bowed his head after getting up. "Queen Elsa, princess Anna. Welcome to my house." Erick at his side also bowed his head in silence and put on his black jacket.

"Good morning Corrado, I am sorry to disturb you." Elsa turned her head at the young hussar. "Hello captain Simonyi."

"Hello Queen Elsa, princess Anna" Erick's manner was polite but cold.

"We have come to see the details of the problem in the north pier basements." Said Elsa.

"Of course, although I have the planes in the harbor office. I will go for them. I will be back in half an hour. "

"I will go for them. I can take my horse and be here in ten minutes." Captain Simonyi said, getting his black cap from the chair.

"You don't know where they are." Replied Corrado.

"You can explain me where they are." Replied the young captain.

"I don't remember the exact place and you would jumble my papers up. I will go, thank you Erick." Quickly replied the engineer. "Would you be so kind to stay with the Queen and the Princess until my return? You could play a chess game with the Queen. She is a very good player."

Anna smiled. Corrado was trying to keep the young hussar away of the new harbor and she was sure that Elsa didn't really want to play a chess game with the sullen hussar. "I think it is a great idea, Elsa is a great player" She said beaming at her sister " Instead, I am a bad one." She added, putting on an innocent expression to avoid taking Elsa's place.

Elsa looked at her younger sister with a look of anger before turning at the Captain with a charming smile. "Of course, I will be delighted to play chess with you."

Captain Simonyi looked at the chess board with indifference. "Anyway Corrado was going to checkmate me." He said.

"Be nice with the Queen. Remember your diplomatic skills from the diplomatic corps." Added Corrado while turning towards Anna. "Anna could you come with me? I will need your help to bring all the maps."

Anna hesitated, fearing to leave Elsa alone, but Elsa nodded at her, giving permission to leave. So he left, animatedly talking with Corrado about his travels.

Elsa was interested in Corrado's words about Symoni being a diplomat. Elsa supposed that he had been a low rank diplomat who had moved to the army searching better options for promotion or due to a failure. Anyway, he could have some bits of information." You speak Italian fluently. Do you learn it as diplomat?" She asked sitting at the table.

"No, I speak it because I was raised in Italy. " The Captain replied sorting the pieces on the board.

"Italy? I supposed house Simony was from Hungary."

"The main line comes from Hungary. But I belong to a minor line from Italy." Simonyi took the white queen in one hand and the black in the other and, after hiding both hands at his back, offered both clenched fists at Elsa. She pointed Simonyi's right hand which concealed the white queen. "You are white. It is appropriate, by the color of our clothes I mean. We still don't know who is the best player."

Elsa smiled at the comment. "But your brother is the holder of an Hungarian dukedom."

"Adrian is my stepbrother. I was adopted by the old duke when I was fifteen years old at the death of my father." Erick placed the chess board over the table with the white pieces in front of Elsa.

"And your mother?" She asked while moving the pawn in front of the Queen.

"My mother died during my childbirth." Erick replied to Elsa's move advancing the King's knight to control the square adjacent to Elsa's pawn.

"I am sorry. I suppose that speaking Italian would have been useful. As a diplomat I mean."

"Since my only assignment as diplomat was in London, it wasn't very useful."

Elsa could hardly believe her good luck. She decided to left a breach in her defense over the chess board. The hussar seemed really interested in the chess game and maybe if she left him to attack then he wouldn't care enough about what he said.

After the initial movements, with the basic positions of both players already defined. Elsa went on with the talk. "Maybe if you have been in London, you have met old acquaintances in the conference."

"Ladislas is the only one." Was the distracted response. The hussar was totally concentrated in the board. " He was my mentor when I was in London." Erick bit the bait and attacked with the bishop as Elsa had supposed.

"Are you talking about the Imperial delegate?" Elsa covered the gap but leaving a possibility to maintain the breach.

"Yes, he taught me the basis of diplomacy." Erick's responses were slower. He had found a breach in the well constructed Elsa's defense and was concentrated on it.

"Dealing with the English. You had a hard nut to crack!" Elsa was surprised by the hussar's words, being trained by the current imperial delegate doesn't fit with a low rank diplomat.

"Yes. They have an outstanding diplomacy and are used to handle issues with the minimal amount of force. Just diplomatic pressure use to be enough." Erick moved one knight to join to the attack.

"I noticed that after talking with Lord Howart Halkett." Elsa was surprised, she had not taken into account the knight. He moved the Queen to check Erick's attack.

"You have met the old lumberjack! He is really a hard nut to crack." Erick retired the bishop from the attack.

"Old lumberjack, what a funny nickname! He get it due to the timber commerce? Elsa made a wrong movement to provoke Erick. She wanted him involved in the game.

"Yes. He owns a share of 'Scandinavian timber' the company that provides half the timber for the royal navy's shipyards." Erick added the second knight to the attack. Elsa realized that the bishop retreat was just a feint to cover the new advance. Much to her surprise Erick was a good player, Elsa had to recognize to herself that she was enjoying the game.

Now her defense was crumbling under Erick's hard attack; however she needed more time talking with him. Elsa decided to launch the Queen in the middle of Erick's attack to buy time. It was risky because losing the queen would shorten the game, but Elsa was confident about her chess skill. Regarding what else to ask she was lost for words. Erick's last comment has been a confirmation of his worst fears, everything seemed lost for her and Anna and any further information she could get seemed useless.

"Are you sure of that?" She asked, although her voice faltered.

"Of course I'm sure, I visited the offices of..." Erick stopped talking suddenly, raised her eyes from the board and gazed at Elsa. He had been absorbed in the board and hadn't paid much attention to the conversation with her. It was just small talk while playing, but the Queen's tone of voice suggested that it was something else.

Elsa could tell that Erick's attention was no longer centered in the board. The concentration of the young hussar in the chess game had disappeared, replaced by a sharp gaze towards her.

"You seem very interested in Halkett's whereabouts. Are you also interested in Mullon?" Asked Erick, his voice was polite although cold.

"Well, they are such interesting people. To a certain extend, they decide the fate of their countries through their decisions."

"And the fate of Arendelle." Added the Imperial officer. His voiced seemed a sentence.

"To certain extend, I agree." Replied Elsa. Erick's penetrating gaze made her uncomfortable. The young Queen had the odd sensation that he was able to glimpse her thoughts.

"She is interested in Halkett. Maybe the Queen is playing to be a diplomat. She has discovered the truth about the Spanish candidate and the faerie tale isn't so beautiful as expected." Thought Erick. "That's why you are so interested in the dignitaries. Do you try to influence them?"

"Why should I do that?"

"I don't know. Maybe you have a preference for one of the candidates. Or maybe you dislike the Spanish accent of one of them." He ironically asked.

Elsa believed that the young hussar was laughing at Elias. "How you dare to talk like that." She didn't even realize she was raising her voice.

Elsa's reply seemed to confirm Erick's suspicions."She didn't care for your sister's marriage and made a celebration to receive the candidates; however she have changed her mind when she realized that her marriage isn't so beautiful." He said to himself while his upper lip curled in disdain. "Let me guess. They even don't talk with you about the issue. They avoid to give you details of the negotiations and assure that they will do the best for you." Erick went on , remembering what he had seen when he was a diplomat with Ladislas in London. He couldn't help a scornful tone of voice, remembering the usual methods of his old teacher.

Elsa didn't realize that the scorn was made against the diplomats; on the contrary she believed that the young hussar was laughing at her. "You are talking no sense. Why would they do that?"

"Because you are the ruler of a little country to be controlled. Do you think that the butcher likes to talk with the defenseless lamb to be slaughtered?" Erick curtly stated.

Elsa was taken aback by the bitter description of her situation, although she pulled herself together and waited a few seconds before calmly replying. "I'm not a lamb Captain Simonyi and I am not going to allow anybody to control Arendelle."

"And how are you going to avoid that. You are asking questions that a half decent diplomat would already know. The fact that you are so sure that you can avoid it is a clear indication that you don't know what you are talking about!" Erick voice was curtly, but a voice within him was saying that it was enough. Even though she was a silly Queen, nobody would deserve to bear the English and French plots; nevertheless he couldn't help going on, moved by his disdain for anything related with crowned heads.

"If I had a half decent information network I would know that!" Thought Elsa while raising to her feet suddenly. She hit the table with her knee and threw away the chess board. The pieces flew in all directions. "I have had enough of this! None of you have the right to act in this way!"

Erick leaned back on his chair and looked up to the young Queen, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "It is not a question of rights. It is a question of power. In international relations the rule is: one blade, one vote, that's all."

Erick's tone of voice was trying to be soothing, but Elsa had been under a lot of strain, and now, she was about to blow up. "And it seems that you are proud of it!" She said.

"My opinion in this issue is even less important than yours Queen Elsa!" Erick quickly replied, rejecting any connection with the whole issue.

Elsa glared at Erick and shouted at the top of their lungs. "Well, my opinion will count or at least I will fight to the bitter end to make it count! My country and my sister won't be used as bargaining chip! You can be sure of that Hungarian, Italian or whatever you are!" Elsa stood in front of the still seated Erick her eyes flamed with anger, her teeth bared in an expression of hate. She seemed about to hit him with her clenched fists.

Erick remained silent, for a moment the only sound was produced by Elsa breathing in short pants. The soldier previous hostility had evaporated and gazed at Elsa with grave and thoughtful eyes.

"Imperial." Erick eventually said with emotionless voice. "I'm just an imperial soldier."

"What's happening here?" Anna and Corrado had returned and looked to the scene in bewilderment.

"Queen Elsa was doing a demonstration of diplomatic skills for me." Replied Erick getting up and taking her black cap. "Queen Elsa, princess Anna, with your permission." He said bowing his head and leaving.

Elsa took a deep breath. "Corrado I am sorry by wasting your time in such a useless way but I should return as soon as possible to the castle." She said when Erick had already gone.

Both sisters leave the little house, ridding their horses. Anna was utterly surprised, she had never seen Elsa so irritated. At least, his passivity had disappeared, all the way long to the castle she ranted and raved about selfish hussars. But Anna wasn't sure that it was the appropriate mood for a meeting with the Barons.


	17. Arendelle's Barons

"Well, before we finish the meeting, I want to wish that Queen Elsa and Princess Anna could get a satisfactory couple from the conference being hold these days in Arendelle. I'm sure that everybody will join me in that wish." Asgrim said, slyly smiling while talking. He was the lord of Arendelle's southernmost fiord and was nicknamed the watcher of the sea since one of his traditional duties, now obsolete, was to provide an early warning for any possible menace from the south. He was a slender old man of average height, round face, thick mustache, and great eyes which give him a slight resemblance with an owl.

Anna beheld the expression of the other Barons. They gazed at their colleague with different degrees of annoyance, depending on their skill at hiding emotions.

Both northerner Barons controlled themselves. Clarence just looked at Asgrim with disdain. He was a thin man of long face with a dark skin inherited from his father's exotic marriage with a rich heir from Spain. At his side, Ebbe clicked his tongue before joining his fellow northerner Baron in a polite and strained approval of Asgrim's words. Ebbe was a fat, bulky man, with a square face and bald as an egg.

Herolf, the remaining southern Baron, whose fiord linked with the road that went through the mountains from Arendelle to the Kingdoms to the south and ended in Westergard northernmost valley, was less polite and grimaced. He was a tall, bulky, blond man with a long face and a prominent aquiline nose dominating over his face. His thick eyebrows protected two sky blue eyes which were a direct window to his emotions and, in that moment, they showed her resentment towards Asgrim.

After almost an hour, Anna was really tired. The meeting had been a continuous discussion about any possible detail the Barons have been able to find out that could cast a shadow about the new harbor feasibility. They have centered their doubts about the figures, saying that it was too expensive and expressing their lack of confidence about Corrado's handling of the project.

Clarence even suggested that Corrado was swindling the young Queen. "You are so young my dear Queen and you don't have experience enough about people's hypocrisy." He had said.

"Thanks to you. I'm learning quite quick. "Had been Elsa polite and ambiguous response that had left him doubting since he was not sure if it has been an expression of gratitude or an insult.

After the Baron's expressions of good will about the final outcome of the conference, Elsa raised to her feet to finish the meeting and the Barons, followed by Kai, left after bowing their heads, although Anna could tell due to their barely disguised smirks and disdainful glances that they didn't like to owe obedience to a young woman like Elsa.

"All the meetings are so strained?" Anna asked to her sister once alone.

"Some have been even harder, specially when Bishop Bodo attends the meeting. They hate the new harbor and paying more money to cover unexpected expenses is like rubbing salt in the wound."

"I have noticed they aren't thrilled with it. Why? If I didn't misunderstand they accepted long ago to pay extra taxes in exchange for a share in the ownership of the harbor." Asked Anna in surprise.

"Because the crown share, and expenses, will be much larger than theirs. In the long run, it means that their power in Arendell will diminish, since their wealth will be lesser compared to the wealth of the crown. In political terms it will be a checkmate!" Elsa replied while noting some details of the meeting down on a paper.

Anna couldn't help smiling. Elsa tended to use chess terminology to explain different situations. "Then why they accepted to contribute to the harbor if it could weak them?"

"They accepted because I clearly stated that If they didn't contribute I would build it anyway, although it would have been smaller and would have taken more time. The crown's revenue would have been lesser but they wouldn't have had any. On the long term, it would have been a checkmate anyway, though they would have less money into their pockets." Elsa had finished writing and was picking up her papers.

"You would have been really disappointed when you realized that the harbor was so controversial."

"It wasn't a surprise. I guessed in advance that they will oppose to it."

"And you do it anyway, even expecting such a hard reaction?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I considered weakening the Barons as an argument in favor of the harbor."

"Are you saying that you do it on purpose."

"The main reason was building the harbor to channel Arendelle's new commerce through it. But I have to recognize that clipping the Baron's wings was a welcomed collateral effect. The external Barons have always been an opposing power to the Crown. When the Crown is strong they are just a nuisance, but when the Crown is weak they become a real danger." Elsa paused and gazed at Anna's eyes before went on. "And the three years between our parent's death and my coronation were a period of extreme weakness for he Crown. Kai did his best, but a seneschal isn't a Queen. And they gathered too much power taking Crown's rights."

"What kind of rights?" Anna asked a bit overwhelmed by the great amount of unexpected information. Elsa seldom, if ever, had been so frank talking about Arendelle.

"They took control of the taxes and fees charged over the timber transferred through their ports and, when I asked them for the taxes and fees back, they closed ranks against me. It was a really difficult meeting." Elsa replied, gazing into space. Anna could tell Elsa was uncomfortable talking about it.

"And did you recover them?"

" No. It was one of my first meetings and I was not prepared. But one day I will recover them!" Elsa answered, frowning.

"At least they seem sympathetic to us regarding the issue of the conference."

"Why do you think so?" Elsa raised her eyebrows with a mischievous smile on her face.

" Well, they didn't seem pleased when Asgrim talk about our marriage."

"That's for sure, although they detest the conference because Clarence and Ebbe were trying to marry me before."

"What?" Anna's eyes widened in surprise.

"They spend a lot of time trying to persuade me that such a marriage would be the best for Arendelle. But England put an abrupt end to their expectations. "

"Didn't you say them that you will never marry?"

Elsa looked embarrassed. "I did, though I have to recognize that I wasn't so clear as with you."

"Why? Are you interested in one of them?"

"Of course not!" Elsa quickly replied." But I thought they would moderate their opposition to the harbor if they expected to marry me. It will belong to them after our supposed marriage."

"So you lied them?"

"I didn't lie! They believed that I needed a husband to protect me and I wasn't too emphatic refuting it." Elsa hesitated for a second before went on." I have to recognize that I'm not proud of it, but I thought it was necessary."

"I'm not reproaching you for it! I think it's really funny. You were flirting with them." Anna replied, giggling.

"I assure that flirting is not the correct word in such issues. A fishmonger selling fish in Arendelle's main square is more romantic!"

"Why they supposed that you would want to marry one of them? They are old enough to be our father!"

"Well, they thought of me as an innocent virgin in search of protection and comfort, consequently they stated their willingness to carry the heavy burden of Arendelle's crown in order to offer me that protection."

Anna giggled. "Elsa, we are two innocent virgins, unless you have something really interesting to tell me."

Elsa threw her head back while grinning. "I have lost my innocence bargaining with them and I'm in no hurry, as I told you, to get rid of my virginity. If you come to the meetings, you will also lost any bit of innocence you could still retain. Regarding the other point I'm sure you have a candidate in mind to solve it." Elsa said the last phrase with a twinkle in her eyes and a knowing smile on her lips.

Anna flushed. "Herolf also seemed displeased, did he also try yo marry you?" She said changing the subject.

"No. The northern Barons are cousins and they would have join against him if he had tried to marry me, so he proposed to marry his eldest son , Herolf the young, with you instead."

Anna remembered Herolf's son. He was a younger replica of his father, including the huge aquiline nose. She gulped. "And what did you tell him."

"That you would be free to choose your husband. If his son was able to convince you to marry him, I would have given my blessing. He even tried to approach you. Do you remember him? I introduced him to you in a ball the last spring."

Anna remembered dancing with him in that ball. "Was he already... interested in me when we danced?"

"Of course he was!" Elsa replied with sly smile on her face. "I think Herolf had great expectations in that ball, but you only danced once with his son and the rest of the night with Kristoff and heavens know that he was a far better dancer that Kristoff. So after that night, he become less insistent. Anyway, few weeks later, we received the English letter that started all this mess. "

"And Asgrim? He haven't tried to marry anyone of us?"

"No. He is an old widower without sons and I have been told he hates the cousins that will inherit his title at his death. So he wasn't very interested in the bride market, although he was happy to see the expectations of their colleges foiled by the English.

Anna thought for a moment about all the received information. It pictured an utterly different Arendelle."What a wonderful group! And you didn't said me anything about them!" Despite she was trying to be angry with Elsa for what she had been hiding, her voice was soft and tender as a person who have received a gift so valuable that feels uncomfortable accepting it.

"Why? They were just a minor nuisance I was sure that I could handle them. You and Kristoff were already busy helping me in the harbor and the mountains."

"But you supported the brunt of the Kingdom!"

"Anna the really important work is the harbor and the mountain paths which give meaning to it, and in both you and Kristoff have been essentials. Anyway until the English meddled, the Barons were under control."

"And now?"

"Now, they are Arendelle's weak point. They are a potential support for any stranger interested in controlling Arendelle."

Anna thought about the four Barons, about their smirks and disdainful glances towards Elsa and, once again, she couldn't say why, she realized how much she missed Olaf.


	18. Stroll to the Past

Kurt von Schrader was shaving his face in the little room assigned to him in Arendelle's castle. He enjoyed the sun beams which entered through the window while looking the new ice constructions over the castle roofs.

"The damned Blenheim Palace! It is not bad at all. Taking into account that it has been done by the Queen of a little country lost in the middle of nowhere." He said to himself in amazement.

There was a knock at the door. "Are you here Kurt?" Otto's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Come in, it's open." Replied Kurt without even turning. His brother entered into the room closing the door behind him.

"Have you seen the Blenheim palace over the castle? It's impressive." Kurt said nodding towards the window.

"Yes." Otto replied without interest while looking at her bare chested brother while he finished his shave.

"Have you wormed anything out of our uncle?" Asked Kurt.

"I couldn't. You know how he is. He likes secrets. And he is being specially secretive about his intentions about you, he outline a lot of excuses but doesn't explain the real reason. But you don't bring a stallion to a farm just to show it."

Kurt grimaced at Otto's words."Maybe he wants me here to gather information about Arendelle."

Otto shook his head. "If we get Arendelle we could obtain all the information we desire. If we don't... well we wouldn't give a fig for it." Otto noticed Kurt's sketchbook, a thick book bound in leather, over the table. He reached it and started to turn its pages while talking. "You know that the main weakness of our uncle's candidature is that Arendelle would become integrated into our County if he married Queen Elsa and the English wouldn't allow Prussian territories in the shore of the Northern Sea. They don't want great powers in the coast of its neighbor seas thus Prussia must remain confined into the Baltic. If you married Queen Elsa, as you aren't the heir, that problem would disappear. Arendelle wouldn't become integrated into the county and you will be just the founder of a fellow Prussian line in Norway. That's all. "

Kurt finished shaving and went closer to his brother while drying his face with a towel. "So I'm an emergency spare to make acceptable our candidature."

" I suppose that, but it is only an educated guess." Otto replied while going through the book pages. There was some drawings of Arendelle's castle and a lot of paintings of the people including the guards. The drawings specially detailed the equipment of the soldiers. "The castle is an old relic. It is useless from the military point of view, but Arendelle's soldiers are very well equipped." Otto stated, looking with interest to the details in Kurt's sketches.

"Yes. I was also surprised when I noticed that. It is not usual in a minor kingdom like this to have such fine weapons. And they seem well trained."

"How do you know it?" Otto asked.

"I saw yesterday a section returning from the forest after training. They looked battered as if they have been training hard, although they maintained the discipline. "

Otto grimaced when he turned the next page. The reason of his displeasure was the portrait of a French cuirassier. The drawing wasn't a sketch just detailing the equipment as the other pictures. It was a fine portrait of the soldier which showed his elegance and strong constitution.

Otto shot an irate glance with his almost colorless grey eyes towards her younger brother. The scar in his left cheek paled.

Kurt shrugged in a gesture of defiance. He knew that his brother's scar wasn't growing pale, actually, his cheeks were slightly turning red, but it was visible only due to the contrast with the pale scar. Anyway, it was a sure sign he was was in anger. "You know my tastes. I don't restrict myself to Queens and princesses." He replied in a flippant tone of voice.

"We are in a diplomatic mission and I expected more self-control from you. You are my brother and I love you but you must.."

"Get off my back!" Kurt suddenly interrupted. "I have always been discreet. Nobody will notice."

"Don't you get tired of being always hiding?" Otto replied with heavy sarcasm in his voice.

"Do you talk about hiding? Why do you wear this civilian clothes? You are an officer of the Prussian Gardes du corps, a captain of cuirassiers, but you also hide it."

"I don't hide! I introduce myself as captain of the Garde, but wearing civilian clothes is less menacing in some occasions. Anyway you mustn't put in the same level being part of the Prussian army with your..." Otto hesitated about the word to use.

"Wicked tendencies, aberrant behavior, abnormal vice..." Completed his brother with mocking solicitude."Truth to be told, sometimes, I think that the army is a vice of our country. We are too fond of it." Kurt stated while throwing the towel on the bed.

"You are such a fool! How would your dream of a unified Germany become true without a strong army to do the dirty work? Do you really believe that it would be enough with your philosopher ideals? And if you like so much sincerity, why don't you explain your little secret to our uncle? So you would be left apart of the brides market."

"If I told the truth to uncle Friedrich he wouldn't accept it as a valid reason for not being married. He would just advise me to be discrete and you know it."

Otto grimaced at the mention of Friedrich von Schrader possible attitude and turned more pages in Kurt's book stopping when he saw a portrait of Rolf, Arendelle's captain of the guard.

"Maybe this man is responsible of Arendelle's guard quality. He is more than he seems." Otto said to change the subject.

"Why?" Quickly asked her brother, also willing to talk about any other subject.

"He hasn't been his entire live confined to minor skirmishes among Norwegian petty kingdoms. Our beloved uncle and him had a talk yesterday. They have a common acquaintance and we discovered that, during the wars against France, he fought into the Sweden army for the entire war and participated in the campaign of Hanover, the battle of Leipzig and other minor battles."

"But he was very young!"

"Yes, but he ended the war as captain in the Swedish army. The English could have a surprise with Arendelle's army." While talking, Otto was turning the pages, going through the portraits of Arendelle's people whom Kurt have been painting in the last few days.

"Do you believe that they could resist more than a few hours an English invasion?"Asked Kurt.

"Of course not! But Lord Halkket is overconfident, he acts as if Arendelle could be controlled just by the squad of marines from the frigate. And I believe that the English would need more people to annihilate Arendelle's guard. Besides, the French is moving better than expected, he had contacted the Bavarian to..." Otto suddenly stopped talking, he had reached a portrait of the Queen in Kurt's book.

"You caught her expression and beauty." He said after gazing for a while the portrait." Uncle Friedrich wants you to center your attention on her. Use your charm to approach her and her sister." His voice had a slight hint of disdain.

"That will be easy. This afternoon I will visit an old fortress and Princess Anna has kindly offered herself to guide me. In fact, I was preparing myself to go to the stables."

"Really!" Otto replied amazed." Your fondness for old buildings will be useful at last. "Will be only you with Anna in the excursion? "

"No. Allan Halkket will come with us and I suppose princess Anna will be accompanied by somebody." Answered Kurt while starting to put on his clothes.

"Allan Halkket!" Otto's mouth twisted in a grimace. "I see that you and Allan are inseparable again?"

"Well. He has changed, he is too proud..."

"He already was too proud five years ago." Otto stated curtly. He had left Kurt's book over the table and went closer to the door.

" Not like now. He has become a fanatic of the British empire. When he left England five years ago he was really proud to be English. But now, he talks about the British empire as if it was the Holy Grail and he was a kind of Percival. And..." Kurt hesitated for a second.

"And?" Otto asked, putting his hand over the doorknob.

"Why does uncle Friedrich want information about the Queen? Nobody is going to care about her opinion, she will be just a puppet in the hands of the great powers regardless of her majesty or beauty." Kurt stated while sitting on the bed to put his boots on.

"She is the Snow Queen. Maybe our uncle wants to know the magnitude of her powers." Replied Otto, opening the door.

Kurt signaled with the boot he was holding in his right hand towards the window and the ice palace over the roofs, raising his eyebrows in a mute question, like saying what more do you need?

"Maybe he wants you to know your future wife or sister in law! " Replied Otto, closing quickly the door to avoid being hit by the boot that Kurt had thrown at him.

Allan Halkett was examining the horse provided by the stable boy. It was a fine animal of good appearance. He had asked for a spirited mount and he had been satisfied. On the contrary Kurt's horse was a tame animal good only for quiet rides. Allan looked at the two additional horses that the boy had brought."Which one is Princess Anna's horse?" Asked to the young, half speaking half gesturing since Allan didn't know a single word of Norwegian. He was delighted to know that Anna's horse was the white one. It was a splendid animal, appropriate only for skilled riders, and fitted with Allan's ideas about Anna. The other one was a quiet mare that Allan supposed would be used by an old woman who would go with her.

"Are you ready Englishman?"

Allan turned and saw Kurt approaching holding his sketchbook under his left arm.

"You must make an official diplomatic complaint. This is not a horse but a disguised old mule."

"It is just what I asked for." Kurt replied with a smile. "I don't have Otto's fondness for stallions which try to break the rider's neck."

Allan sighed." I see that only me and Princess Anna are going to have a real ride."

"Do you like her?" Suddenly asked Kurt, trying to catch his friend out of balance.

Allan seemed uncomfortable at the question. "What do you mean?" He replied at last.

"Then it is true!" Kurt thought. He had been supposing something like this from the ball. Allan wasn't used to hide his emotions and the way he looked at Anna when he believed that no body was looking at him was revealing. Kurt had been about to tell it to Otto but he had restrained in the last second since he was not sure and he was reluctant to talk about the private feelings of his friend. "What are you playing at?" Kurt blurted to his friend.

Allan looked around to be sure that nobody was near. "Well, she is a fascinating woman. The way she dealt with the hussars was really brave."

"She was in the capital of her Kingdom. She wasn't in real danger at any time."

"I know! Anyway it isn't usual for a lady to be brave enough to confront a dozen of hussars alone. She could just have called the guards."

"You forget that his lover, boyfriend or whatever he is, was at her side."

Allan grimaced at the mention of Kristoff. "I don't believe what people say about them. He is a low-born man, unworthy to marry a woman like her. What he could offer to her?"

Kurt was about to reply that he didn't know since he had never been in Anna's bedroom, but he decided that it would be useless. Allan had always been rush and stubborn, more than usual, in everything regarding women. In fact one of the reasons to send him to India five years ago was a problem he had with one."

"Do you realize that you must line up with twenty other candidates."

"Yes. It is an outrageous situation."

Kurt wasn't sure what Allan found so outrageous, Anna suffering such humiliating situation or that he had twenty undesired competitors. "Allan! Half Europe is looking at Arendelle to find a solution to Queen Elsa's dilemma and you want to play Romeo and Juliette in front of such a distinguished audience. Do you really believe that you could marry one of the most desired brides in Europe?" Kurt decided to be clear. His friend could get into trouble.

"I'm not one of those petty fops. I have resources to obtain what I want."

"What the hell are you talking about? Don't you believe that..." Kurt suddenly stopped talking, he had noticed that Princess Ana and the Queen were coming. At that very moment, he realized that there were four horses ready and he blessed his good luck. If Otto wants information about the Queen he was going to have plenty of it.

The old fortress had been the main seat of the house of Arendelle for centuries. But long time ago, one king had decided that a castle in the sea, built in a little island at the entrance of the inner bay, would be far better than one by the sea over a cliff. It was the time when Arendelle started to commerce with other nations.

The building was used as watchtower, due to its dominant view over the sea, until it was burned by an enemy incursion, in fact a raid from Westergard, long ago. Another watchtower was built in a better position and the remains of the old castle, deprived of any utility, slowly crumbled.

"Here was the guardroom by the main gate. There are the remains of a corridor that connected with the courtyard. I suppose it would be a barrel vault " Kurt von Schrader was in the middle of a lot of stones scattered in the top of a steep hill, looking around in delight.

"How are you so sure?" Said Elsa at his side smiling. It was difficult not to share the enthusiasm of the young German. "There are only a few rocks."

"But they are the basement. They define the spaces of any building. If you have studied other fortresses of similar epoch and style you can deduce how it was." Kurt explained while quickly drawing a sketch map of the fortress in his book

Elsa was fascinated by Kurt. The young man didn't look as a scholar. His tall, athletic figure and the thick black beard which gave him a wild look didn't match with Elsa's idea of an encyclopedist, but his curiosity for each detail of Arendelle history and his capacity to relate all the information that Elsa had explained, during the ride to the watchtower, about Arendelle history with other information he already knew about Scandinavia was just amazing.

"I think I saw an old picture of the fortress." Said Elsa.

"Really?" Replied Kurt.

"Yes, It's a landscape with the ruins a century ago. They were in better state, some walls remained standing and there was also an arch there."

"What kind of arch? I mean was in round in the top?" Kurt started to simulate the form of an arch with both hands.

"It was a round arch supported by two columns with cubic capitals and a rough abacus over each of them. Here is one of the abacus." Elsa signaled a great square slab half buried in the ground.

Kurt looked at Elsa, raising his eyebrows in surprise by the precision of Elsa's description.

Elsa smiled. "I like architecture and I studied the picture to analyze the old watchtower." Elsa tensed up remembering those days, always in her room, studying alone or with her parents.

"May I see that picture?" Kurt asked, but then he realized the strange expression on Elsa's face. "I'm sorry, I didn't..."

Elsa stopped daydreaming and turned towards Kurt. The day was windy but the morning was radiant, those days were distant and she felt a sudden surge of happiness.

"Of course you can, I will locate it for you. But it was like..." She waved and an arch of ice formed in what have been the entrance to the courtyard.

"Wow! After the Belvedere and the Blenheim Palace of ice, it should not surprise me, but it is amazing anyway." Kurt approached to the ice arch. "It has even the texture of the stone!"

Elsa can't help beaming." Do you recognize them? Both palaces I mean."

"Of course I have. I have been in both of them and the likeness is really remarkable. I hope that you will make a Prussian building."

Elsa giggled. "Yes."

"Which one?"

"I'm not going to tell you which one, but it is in Konigsberg."

"Wonderful! I studied there." Kurt moved away from the ruins and started to draw. Elsa saw he was busy and looked around to locate her sister and Allan. She hadn't got a single clue regarding the conference but she had enjoyed the ride anyway.

Anna and Allan were seated in a big rock facing the sea. Allan have been explaining how life was in India and China. Allan was a good storyteller and Anna was just fascinated hearing stories from far away lands.

"But why is England at war with china?" Was asking Anna when Elsa approached them.

"Because they don't let us to commerce with our goods in their harbors."

"Is it a fair reason to declare war on them? They have the right to choose their commerce partners." Anna was remembering Elsa's blanket ban on Weselton's commerce with Arendelle due to the Duke's behavior during the coronation, a year ago.

"It is not a logic decision. They are weak and decadent and try to block us the access to their markets because we are better traders than them. It is not a fair reason."

"His uncle decides who marries us and he decide who trade with China." Thought Elsa, sitting by Anna on the rock.

"We will teach them a lesson. We have assembled a fleet of ten ships of the line." Allan started to explain what was a ship of the line and its differences with a frigate.

Anna hesitated for a second, Elsa was listening to Allan explanations as if she didn't know what was a ship of the line, although, as Arendelle depended on the sea commerce, their parents had taken care of their education in maritime issues.

In fact when an interesting ship arrived to Arendelle their father always gathered both of them in the balcony of the library and explained in detail its characteristics and particularities. For Anna those were happy days. The ships had always been a source of happiness because they came from far away lands and she could be near Elsa, even if they didn't talk.

But now Elsa was listening and nodding at Allan explanation as if she didn't know the difference between port and starboard. Making questions about some details of Allan's explanations that Anna was sure she already knew.

"And how many frigates are needed to give support to ten ships of the line?" Asked Elsa with innocent look.

"It can vary greatly depending on the mission assigned. As we are going to strange waters and a great deal of exploration exploring will be needed, fifteen frigates have joined to the fleet."

Elsa was really interested in Allan explanations. Knowing the whereabouts of the English fleet was so necessary for Arendelle as breathing. They needed somebody in London passing that kind of information. How much work was needed in their information network!

"It is a long voyage, when will you return to Europe?" Asked Anna.

"We will be at least two or three years. This is the time we will need to go, return and beat them."

"Well, at least a part of the English fleet will be far away in the years to come." Thought Elsa. "This time includes the time to negotiate with them? You even may held a conference with the Chinese authorities. " Elsa asked, sincerely interested in how these issues were handled."

Anna sniggered when Elsa said the word conference, but Allan didn't pay attention. "We are not going to hold any negotiation. We will start the discussion with the roar of our cannons."

"But you are not trying even to negotiate with them?"

"Once the fleet is in China, peace is not an option. We would obtain better conditions after smashing the Chinese army."

"Do you really don't want to avoid a war?" Elsa couldn't help exclaiming.

" We have expended so much money sending the fleet that we have to maximize the profit. We cannot move the fleet and return with just a trade treaty."

"Are you saying that you will make war just to get more money?" Elsa was calm saying that, but Anna could tell that she was getting angry.

"It is not just the money. The public opinion in England want some kind of action against the Chinese, the newspapers have been inflaming public feelings. If we returned without a demonstration of England's power, they would be displeased."

"And what would say your newspapers if you send your ships against Arendelle." Elsa said to herself. "But..." Started to say the young Queen.

Anna rose to her feet, saying. "I believe Kurt has finished drawing. Let's see it!"

Elsa followed her younger sister. Allan surprised by the sudden reaction was left behind. "Thank you." Elsa whispered to Anna. " This captain gets on my nerves."

"I could tell it." Said Anna smiling. " I was about to explode. He seems to despise everything not British."

"Is Arendelle included in his disdain?"

"I haven't dared to talk. " Replied Anna.

Elsa and Anna approached to Kurt. The young German was finishing the drawing.

"You are good." Said Elsa , leaning in to see the book.

"Thank you." Replied Kurt, beaming.

"May I?"Asked Elsa pointing at Kurt's sketchbook.

"Of course!" Kurt Replied, handing Elsa the book.

She turned backwards the pages with Anna also watching. There was a portrait of Prince Vladimiras. The Lithuanian's bearing was excellently depicted.

"He is an imposing man." Said Kurt looking also at the sketchbook.

Elsa smiled and went on through the notebook. There were different portraits of the people from Arendelle. Corrado with his stark gaze, Rolf's lean face, Kai with his friendly expression and the portrait of a young French cuirassier. Elsa gazed for a while the portrait and Kurt had the strange sensation that she was able to notice something different in the painting. At least, Elsa turned the page and saw a portrait of Anna. The drawing was of better quality than the others, as if Kurt had spent more time in it, and showed Anna beaming. Anna's smile had been perfectly caught.

Anna giggled at the view of her portrait. "It's wonderful."

"Yes, do you paint them from heart?" Asked Elsa, turning the page.

"Yes, I'm good catching people's expressions." Kurt realized a strange expression on Elsa's face. The next drawing was of the young Queen. Elsa was displayed with poised and distant expression, but the portrait displayed in full splendor her breathtaking beauty.

Elsa couldn't help comparing the smiling expression caught by Kurt on Anna with her own cold bearing. She went on seeing different sketches of Arendelle, the village and the castle defenses. After them the book contained different landscapes of the Norwegian coast.

"You painted them during your travel to Arendelle?"

"Yes, the scenery was magnificent."

Kurt's skill painting was also remarkable with landscapes. Elsa went through them until she reached a picture different from the others. Instead of a landscape of the coast painted from a ship, it was a desolate landscape with a gloomy castle on the top of a cliff.

"Another of your crumbling castles?" Joked Anna.

"Ehhh... Yes." Replied Kurt obviously uncomfortable.

Elsa looked at Kurt, she didn't understand the sudden reaction of the German. She passed the next page and Anna gasped. Elsa got tense and felt a shiver down her spine.

In the sketchbook was a portrait of Prince Hans of Westergard. He had a sad expression and was slovenly, her chin badly shaved and his hair unkempt. Both sister remained silent looking at the drawing.

"I'm sorry I forget it was in this book." Said Kurt.

"Did you pay a visit to him in your way towards Arendelle?" Elsa calmly Asked .

"It was a coincidence. We made a stop in our way, to visit the old seat of the Westergard dynasty in the southern isles. He was confined in the old fortress."

"She don't seem in good conditions." Anna said his voice was strangely cold.

"That's true." Said Elsa thoughtfully. "Was he well cared for? "

"Well, I think..." Started to say Kurt.

"He was forgotten in that crumbling ruin." Allan interrupted, joining the group.

"Was the building in bad condition?" Asked Elsa.

"It is at splendid castle." Said Kurt.

" It was two centuries ago." Added Allan.

"He has servants and guards that care for him." Explained Kurt.

"And hate him since they are condemned to stay in that sullen place until he dies." Allan added.

"Does he receive visits from his relatives?" Asked Elsa, gazing at Kurt's eyes.

"He..." Kurt hesitated." According to him, he hadn't received any visit for the last year. "

"You have spoken with him!" Anna said.

"Yes, we talked with him for a while. The poor bastard was eager for talking anybody who wasn't one of his guards." Answered Allan.

Elsa and Anna looked at each other. Anna bit her lower lip.

The rest of the excursion both sisters were serious and distant. Kurt was surprised. He could tell that they weren't scared, they seemed sad. Kurt asked to herself what kind of people would be sad because they had found out that an old enemy was in such a desperate situation.


	19. Pawns

The setting sun was almost touching the peaks of the mountains and the shadows quickly enlarged. The huge brigantine rocked in the calm waters of the fiord, the imperial flag, which was decorated with the two headed eagle, flew flaccid at her stern. The cabin of the captain was just beneath the flag. It was a little room with the windows wide open in an attempt to catch the slightest trace of breeze.

"This damned endless Norwegian day is finally coming to an end." Exclaimed the captain as he moved his white bishop over the chess board. He was a veteran Genoese sailor in that ambiguous age with too many years left behind to be young but not enough to be and old man. He had a bald head round like a cannonball, dark skin which looked like old leather and piercing eyes. An earring in his left ear give him the look of a Barbary corsair.

"Then the bride and groom will enjoy a long wedding day." Replied Erick Simonyi, studying the Captain's movement. Erick had come to the ship accompanying Corrado and, once in the ship, he had discovered that the Captain was an old acquaintance from Erick's childhood in Italy.

The imperial navy was mainly based at Italy and the most of the crews and officers were Italians. Each ship was like a small floating Italian city, in which the different Italian accents had been mixed. Hearing such accents, Erick remembered his childhood in Italy when he jumped, following his father's postings in the imperial army, from one city to another.

The captain, whose name was Rollo, shared Erick's fondness for chess. They had bet a dozen of fine French wine bottles against Erick's knife, a tartar knife with a beautifully carved ivory handle. They have opened one of the bottles to enjoy it during the chess game by mutual agreement.

"Ah... the wedding, I also see it this morning. The bride was beautiful and radiant, as a bribe should be. But I suppose she and the groom are more interested in the wedding night than the day." They were talking about the wedding of two young people from Arendelle which has been celebrated that very morning. " I noticed that the bride wore a crown of white flowers and the friends of the groom tried to take the flowers off her hair and she rejected them. All was done joking but it seemed a kind of ritual.

"I have been told that all the brides in Arendelle wear a crown of white flowers. The groom take the flowers off during the wedding night."

"How delightfully symbolic!" Said the Captain smiling.

"And pragmatic."

"What do you mean by pragmatic?"

"So the groom can be sure that he has deflowered his wife during the wedding night, in one sense or another." Replied Erick smiling.

Rollo burst out laughing. "You are so impertinent as you were in the Plains. Talking about brides or brides to be, have you seen the Queen? People says that she is a beauty."

"She is as beauty as you can imagine and intelligent. If you could kidnap and sell her in a Turkish slave market, you would earn a fortune."

"I suppose that the candidates would complain, not to mention the Queen's reaction."

"The English would be happy to get rid of Queen Elsa and she would be smart enough to see that there is little difference between both situations."

The Genoese smiled with irony. "So bad is the conference?"

"It's worse! The rumors said that the Spanish candidate is mentally retarded. I don't understand why Christian Mullon, the French delegate, is giving support to such a candidate. He must have a very good reason but I am unable to figure out why!"

"Don't you knew the name of the candidate's mother?" The Captain asked, slyly smiling, obviously pleased to know more than his guest.

"Elisa Gonzaga." Erick replied. "She is French and a beautiful woman, she would be amazing to see when she was younger, although his manner is aloof and arrogant.

"Of course she is everything you have said!" You are too young to know her, but she is Elisa d'Arbanville.

"D'Arbanville? Is she related with Noel D'Arbanville the French Duke and shipyards owner?"

"Of course she is related! She is the daughter of the man who owns half the shipyards of France. All of them angry for Arendelle's timber. As you can see Mullon have a very good reason."

"I don't believe you old corsair, my father always said that you never speak the truth. If she was the daughter of such an important man, everybody would know it and she have always been named only as the widow of a Grandee of Spain."

"Your father was a wise man, but he was as liar as me." Said Rollo laughing. " And Elisa D'Arbanville is discrete about her family because his father send her as away as possible due to a scandal more than twenty years ago. Her marriage with the Spaniard was an exile and she disappeared from public life after the ceremony. Nobody remembers her and I suppose she prefers to be presented as the wife of a Grandee of Spain instead of the daughter of a Duke burdened with a questionable reputation."

"Nobody remembers her but you. You seem well informed." Replied Erick.

"In those times I used to sail to Toulon's naval base as a kind of courier between the Imperial and French navies. And I had business related with D'Arbanvile, his chateau is near Toulon."

"What kind of business could have an Imperial Captain with a French ship builder?"

"You are so innocent as when you were a kid and played with my elder son in the streets of Genoa. I have with him the kind of business that nobody writes down in the official books."

Erick supposed that the euphemism referred to smuggling. Rollo was descendant of an old Genoese dynasty of sailors and his ancestors included from great admirals to smugglers passing through pirates and corsairs. "Let's suppose it's true." Said Erick sipping his wine glass and savoring the excellent French wine. "Making business with her father is one thing and make acquaintance with the daughter is an utterly different one. Why do you are so well informed about her?"

"I attended some balls in D'Arbanville's mansion, more than twenty five years ago, and the D'Arbanvile family attended them, including Elisa and Christian Mullon."

"Mullon! The French delegate is also a relative of Noel D'Arbanville? "

"He is a distant cousin, but he had a sharp mind and Noel D'Arbanville took him under his protection and paid an excellent education for him. Noel D'Arbanville was very kind taking in account Mullon's past."

"What do you mean with Mullon's past?"

"Well, not his past but his father's past. During the French revolution he joined the revolution, and he was one of the representatives who voted in favor of beheading the King of France and held an important position in the Napoleonic navy."

Erick let out a whistle. "And he was the relative of a duke!"

"Yes. I suppose he wasn't overfond of the nobility to which his family was related. After the restoration of the monarchy in France, the father was exiled but his wife and son, Mullon, remained in France under the protection of his cousin Noel who, after the restoration of the monarchy, was the new duke. They would never met again, since according to D'Arbanville point of view he was a traitor to her family, class and country. But the boy wasn't condemned by the faults of her parents and was accepted as a distant relative in D'Arbanville's villa. He stayed with the family the long and hot summers of Toulon."

"So Mullon is D'Arbanville's front man." Asked Erick.

"Not exactly. In fact, I'm sure that D'Arbanville would have preferred anybody else. Mullon fell out of D'Arbanville's favor and he had to progress by his own efforts in the French diplomacy. He is sharp as a needle and some of his father friends had survived the Bourbon restoration and were valuable contacts."

"Why did he fell from D'Arbanville's favor?"

"Twenty years ago, it was rumored that he was overfond of women and Elisa D'Arbanville was too beautiful. She left her home to marry with the Spaniard and he was left to his fate."

"And Noel D'Arbanville one of France's most important, powerful and arrogant men is going to accept such a company for this enterprise? He would hate them! Why he would choose them to do his dirty work?"

"I lost contact with D'Arbanville long time ago, but I can imagine the situation. Mullon is assigned to deal with the English for Arendelle's spoils, spoils made of timber. " Rollo took a black bishop from the figures out of the board and put it in the middle of the table.

"France is rebuilding the war fleet lost during the war and Noel D' Arbanville's shipyards are working at full throttle to produce the so badly needed ships." He took a black rook and put it near the bishop.

"Ship building needs timber, a lot of timber. " Added Erick looking with interest the two black pieces.

"Of course it is needed. " Replied Rollo. "And in a forgotten corner of Spain Elisa D'Arbanville and her son were languishing, a son who holds a title that makes him the perfect candidate for Elsa's hand, the keeper of Arendelle's timber. Perhaps Elisa's son has a slight defect, but it is nothing to worry about." The Captain took the black Queen and placed it with the others, forming a triangle, and gulped his wine." They need each other. I suppose that the first meeting would be a funny thing to see. After more than twenty years I'm not sure that resentment is the appropriate word."

"And where is Elias?"

"You are right. The picture is not complete without him." Rollo put a white pawn in the center of the triangle formed by the three black figures. "I will use white for him, since he would be the only innocent in this nasty history."

"I agree with that." Replied Erick looking at the surrounded white piece while he asked to herself how much of the story he had heard was true.

Corrado was seated in the stern of the boat, looking at Erick who carefully took the basket full of wine bottles that a sailor was taking down with a rope from the deck.

"Goodbye Corrado, goodbye damned Hungarian." Shouted Rollo from the ship.

"Damned Hungarian? Don't you were supposed to be friends?" Asked Corrado frowning.

"And we will be friends again when we met." Replied Erick, smiling, as he took the oars and started to row towards the harbor.

"Now, We are alone. Could you please explain me why were you such a fool, rejecting Anna's hand." Asked Corrado with angry voice.

"Corrado, we have quarreled enough this morning. I don't want to talk about it anymore!"

"Then reconsider your rejection to be Anna's suitor."

"No, I will never accept that."

"So much you dislike the girl?"

"It's for my brother! I will never accept anything from him. Anna is not the problem she is gorgeous and charming."

"How do you know about her character? You have seen him only in the official reception"

"I have been in Arendelle for a month, do you remember? I'm the one who sleeps in the floor of your hall. It is easy to see her and Kristoff walking through Arendelle. And it is also easy to see that she is not the typical Princess."

"Then why don't you accept to be her suitor?."

"I supposed you were fond of them!"

"The one doesn't diminish the other"

"You like Anna, and do you don't mind if she is forced to marry, taking into account that she is in love with another man?"

"I don't like this situation, but they have a lot of possible candidates waiting. Your rejection is of no benefit to Anna, and will hurt your future prospects. Play the part of willing Imperial candidate, anyway it is unlikely that you would marry Anna "

"I don't want to be part of this farce. I only want to return to my regiment in the plains and kill people in peace and quiet. I have had enough diplomacy for a long while."

"I repeat you that your rejection doesn't help Anna."

"And I repeat you that I'm not going to help my brother in this issue. The more I learn about it, the less I like it!"

"Even if it could cost your military career? " Asked Corrado, leaning towards Erick.

"Yes! Do you have any other question?" Curtly replied Erick as he stopped rowing for a moment.

Corrado keep a sullen silence and Erick keep rowing for a while. The last beams of the sun glimmered on the quiet surface transforming the fiord waters in a golden river.

Erick looked around while rowing and beheld the new harbor. Some great cargo boats, waiting for the moment to be unloaded, were anchored in front of it. "Food and drinks for the ball, what a pity that the host will choke on them."

"Are you talking about the Queen? I don't understand why you dislike her." Corrado curtly said.

" Don't you believe that the celebrations are a bit excessive, taking into account what the objective of the conference?"

Corrado hesitated."The Queen has a good reason!"

"Queens and Kings always said that they have good and fair reasons, but at the end they aren't more intelligent or specially fair and just than the average people. Usually, they are only more ambitious and arrogant."

"Is this your opinion about El... the Queen?"

"I recognize she is specially intelligent."

"She is more intelligent than you. And you should..."

"I don't recognize your hand in the new harbor." Erick suddenly interrupted, trying to change the subject. "Do you had any collaborator in the design?"

"The initial design and a good deal of the details were made by the Queen. She had a sound understanding of the basic principles of engineering."

"The Queen designed that!" Said Erick in amazement.

"She didn't have the necessary experience to complete an enterprise of such magnitude, but she is a fast learner. She would already have learned all the necessary principles but for this stupid conference. Does that change your foolish opinion about her!"

"I have already recognized that she is smart, maybe smarter than me. But I want to have a talk with you about another issue." Replied Erick as he stopped rowing in the middle of the fiord, leaving the oars on their supports.

"Why do you stop here?"

"You never told me that you had two daughters. In fact, you didn't even say a word about your wife."

Corr ado's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know that?"

"Gladiolas told me about them. He was trying to worm me out their whereabouts."

"Why the imperial delegate is so interested in my family?"

"It is Gladiolas' way to prepare the ground for a negotiation. He is looking for possible informers and your family could be a weak point to lean on you."

" Did he tell you that?"

"Of course not! He is very discreet, but I have seen him in action when I was in London with him."

"I see. I begin to understand why you took dislike to him and why you left your assignment in London to march to the Plains."

Erick shrugged. "He knows that your wife is French and you had two girls with her. He was interested in their current location."

"You can tell him that the last time I saw my eldest daughter was twenty years ago. She was six year old and she was near dead in her mother's arms. Her younger sister, who was three years old, had died the day before. And the mother died the following week. We were in Istanbul doing a work for the Sultan when an epidemic affected the city. I had been out of the empire for a long time. I fact I met my wife and fathered both daughters in France. When I returned to the empire, I didn't even care to inform anybody. That's why Ladislas was unable to locate them." Corrado took a deep breath, staring into space. "She had been crying the whole night and finally felt asleep in her mother's arms. I still can see her beautiful blonde hair."

"I'm sorry." Said Erick.

"It's water under the bridge!" Replied Corrado returning to his stark manner. "I don't know if this will be enough to buy your ticket to the Plains. Maybe Ladislas will be grateful enough to convince your brother to let you go."

"Do you think that I would have asked it so directly if I was going to say anything to Ladislas? I'm not so dumb!"

"Why don't you tell him? It is useless anyway."

"Anyway I'm not going to tell him anything. He can wait until hell freezes over."

"But.."

"Corrado!" Interrupted Erick while he took again the oars. "Are we going to quarrel again?" The boat started again his way towards the harbor, propelled by Erick strokes.

Kurt was in the battlements of the castle painting the fiord. There weren't soldiers and their equipment in the painting nor the castle and their fortifications nor the town and its access nor the mouth of the fiord with the shallow water zones, just the mountains and the glimmering effect of the setting sun on the water. A boat with two men aboard had stopped in the middle of the fiord and Kurt was adding it to its painting. The effects of the light were beautiful.

"You seem busy." Said Otto, coming up the stairs behind Kurt.

It made Kurt lose her concentration. He turned and looked at his elder brother. "What do you want Otto? As you have said, I'm busy."

"Do you get something interesting from your excursion."

"She is really intelligent, a true scholar. It is a pity that a scholar isn't what Arendelle needs in this moment."

"According to you, what does Arendelle need?"

"I don't know! Maybe a miracle."

"Stop your philosophical digressions and tell me what have you get about the Queen? Is she backing any candidate?"

"I believe she dislikes the entire bunch including Princes Anna's candidates."

"And who cares about it. I'm talking about politics. Does she support any side?"

"She is an intelligent, reserved and fascinating woman. As you can suppose It is not easy to worm anything out of her."

"So?"

"I have to meet her to see a picture. I will try to get more information. Now, could you please leave me alone? The light is dimming by the second."

Otto left Kurt alone and he tried to concentrate again in the drawing, but the boat had started to move again and the glimmer over the water had faded.

Kjersti, Kay's niece, was in the pier looking at the approaching boat. Both men inside were quarreling in a strange language. Kjersti disliked the newcomers, she had heard Kay saying that they had come to take away Queen Elsa and that make Queen Elsa and Princess Anna sad.

The boat had reached the pier and a man clad in black nimbly jumped to the pier and pulled the rope of the boat towards a bollard.

Kjersti approached to the stairs and seated on a barrel by the bollard.

"You are not going to get Queen Elsa nor Princess Anna." Kjersti said in Norwegian to the man who was mooring the boat.

The startled man turned and looked at the girl in surprise. "You are a fool!. Who comes to a country without even speaking the language of the country." The girl thought.

"The Queen is more intelligent than you and you will return to your country empty-handed." Kjersti went on with all the sarcasm she was able to gather.

The man went closer, smiling at Kjersti.

"He hasn't understood a single word." She said to herself, displaying a gap-toothed smile which transmitted innocence.

"You are right! " Suddenly the man said in Norwegian, though with a thick accent. "She is smarter than me so I will be content with you. I will take you to the Plains, we need woman brave and strong like you." He said the last words leaning towards Kjersti and gazing at her eyes.

Kjersti leaned back, loosing her balance. She was about to fall from the barrel she was sitting on, but the young man moved with lightning reflexes and caught her wrist, keeping her from falling.

"Easy, girl. I didn't mean to scare you." Said the man, smiling at her, still holding Kjersti arm.

She got rid of the man's hold and hesitated between running away or replying. "You are too old!" Finally she shouted before turning and running out followed by the laugh of the man.

"I'm too old!" Exclaimed Erick with feigned indignation, speaking again in Italian. "The man who take the white flowers from her hair when she has grown will have an interesting live." He said to Corrado who was waiting in the boat with the basket full of wine bottles in his hands.

"Could you stop saying nonsense and fetch your damned bottles?" He replied handing the basket to Erick.

The young hussar took the bottles and, after leaving them on the floor, helped his friend to disembark from the boat.

"Anyway, I thought that you should tell Ladislas what I have told you about my family." Grumbled Corrado while he was disembarking.

"Corrado, please!" Replied Erick raising his eyes to the sky.


End file.
